New Brotherhood
by TheGameNguyener
Summary: Two heroes from different worlds have lost someone close to them. It was tough for both to deal with the pain. But after another accident occurs, they cross paths in an unexpected situation. They will learn about each other and promise to protect themselves from danger as they unknowingly form a special bond.
1. Prologue: Brotherly Backstories

_A/N: Hey guys! This is TheGameNguyener here! And right off the bat, I want to make things clear before you guys start reading. This story has no relationship or ties with my first story, __Hidden Bravery_ _, whatsoever. This is a separate fanfiction as I came up with the story idea around the time I uploaded Ch. 6 of_ _HB_ _._

 _Any numbers in bold, italics, and parentheses are explained in the Post-Chapter Notes at the bottom of the page. Ex.-_ _ **(1)**_

 _And with that, please enjoy my second story:_ _New Brotherhood_ _! (Rated T for language, dark scenes, and most importantly, character deaths.)_

* * *

 _Disclaimer: __I do NOT own any rights or claims to the Mario and Sonic characters or franchises. They belong to Nintendo and Sega, respectively._

* * *

 **Prologue** : Brotherly Backstories

What makes up a typical family? Usually the first thing that comes to mind is a mother, a father, kids, and relatives to those people. Some may also include their pets, too. Well, not all families are made up like that. Some of them could just be a group of people who are willing to take care and love one another no matter what, even if they're not biologically related. Despite the roadblocks, difficulties, and emotions they face, their family will be there for others to let them know that they're not alone.

Having a family makes an individual feel more comfortable, that they're not isolated from the real world. To be with someone they love and care for creates a great sensation for them. This applies to everyone, not just parents. It counts for friends, children, even the employees of your work place. One could say: "They're like family to me."

Siblings are also part of family. And usually, with at least two of them, what would be their roles? Normally, the older one would always look after the younger. He or she would make sure the little brother or sister doesn't get hurt or feel bad from anything: bullying, losing a game, getting bad grades, or being yelled at. On other occasions, the little one might be there to comfort his/her older sibling. They, too, aren't the only ones who have feelings. They could talk it out, cry on one's shoulder, or give each other a warming hug. Sibling relationships are one of the strongest bonds (in my opinion) and it's exemplified in this story.

* * *

Two individuals each have a strong connection with a certain someone. They both share the same type of companionship: brotherhood.

One was a young man, clothed in red, whose only family member was his younger twin brother. His name was Mario 'Jumpman' Mario. His little bro was named Luigi Mario. The man in green may be taller and thinner, but he wasn't as brave as his older sibling. He was timid, awkward, and fearful of almost everything. Nonetheless, he was always in the loving hands of Mario. He would be overprotective of Luigi at times, but the same works the other way where he would be cautious of Mario's state of mind. The two were not just devoted brothers, they were best friends.

The other individual was a blue, anthropomorphic hedgehog who goes by the name of Sonic. He was always energetic, tending to show off his cocky attitude whenever he wanted to. He, too, has a younger brother, but in a different way. The younger one was a yellow fox with a birth defect, having two tails instead of one. Because of this, he was known as Tails (his initial name was Miles Prower). After several years, they developed the best of friendships. Better yet, they formed an unbreakable cordial bond. Even though they weren't related by blood, Sonic and Tails treated each other like brothers would.

* * *

Going back to Mario and Luigi, they lived with each other for a long time in the city of Brooklyn. The brothers started living alone, just the two of them, after their parents passed away from a fatal car accident.

Years after the devastating loss, they found themselves in the land of a faraway kingdom, led by a beautiful princess, known as Peach Toadstool. The two were destined to be the heroes of the fantasy land and managed to defeat the evil turtle king named Bowser and rescue the fair ruler. From that point on, Mario would go on many adventures to rescue Peach, showing off his bravery and determination to save the kingdom and what came to be his lover.

As for Luigi, he would get left behind at the siblings' new home most of the time, feeling depressed and alone that he wasn't with his brother to help him. Usually the man in green felt isolated, thinking that Mario didn't want him in his adventures. And even if he was with Mario and helped him to defeat Bowser and save the Mushroom Kingdom, Luigi would almost always be in his brother's shadow, to be overlooked, forgotten, and disregarded in almost in any conversation and celebration.

From Mario's perspective, he was conflicted. Yes, he felt bad for leaving Luigi alone, but he was overprotective under one circumstance. He didn't want his little brother to hurt in battle or make a critical mistake that could cost his life.

Looking at a different point of view, Mario would like Luigi to accompany him in his adventures. Sometimes he felt that his brother needed to prove that he, too, can be a brave hero like himself. Unfortunately, Luigi hasn't received the credit he deserved as most of the attention was towards Mario. This made Mario feel sympathetic for the green plumber because he would like Luigi to be recognized and not have all the Toads gather around him and him alone.

Then, there's a third side; he becomes part of the bandwagon and forgets to include or acknowledge his only family member. One example happened after Mario was rescued by his younger brother from King Boo in the haunted mansion adventure. He went on vacation with Princess Peach and her advisors on a summer vacation, without even bothering to ask Luigi if he wanted to come. **_(1)_** After he returned, he was given the silent treatment from the green-clothed man for a week, as he shut himself down for being upset and angry that he wasn't invited. At least he didn't hold his grudge for too long.

The other instance was when Mario failed to recognize the green-clad man when he became a brainwashed minion of a former enemy. Back when he turned into Mr. L, an evil persona of Luigi, Mario had to defeat him twice, shaming him for his defeats. Beforehand, he had a feeling that he knew the Green Thunder looked familiar, but he couldn't put his nose across it. Mario felt bad, however, because he felt somewhat remorseful for hurting the masked minion. It wasn't until after the heroes of the Light Prognosticus defeated Count Bleck when Mario and the others found out about the true identity of Mr. L. Dimentio, the former jester minion who turned his back against the Count, was the one to reveal the truth. Mr. L... was none other than Luigi. After the departure of Lady Timpani and Count Bleck, and the defeat of Dimentio, Mario made a pact with Peach and Bowser to never bring this up to Luigi, for he lost his memory that he was once an evil assistant to the ex-wielder of the Dark Prognosticus. ** _(2)_**

Mario, overall, didn't want his clumsy brother to get hurt which is why he leaves him alone, yet he couldn't hold back his guilt. He wanted to be there for Luigi whenever he got depressed. The man in red eventually found out that his brother had gotten used to his isolation to the point where he didn't want to be with anyone else. Sometimes his heart doesn't take in his misery too seriously. But on small occasions, his mind does.

Sporadically, he felt like he was on the verge of suicide, as if he was standing on a cliff, waiting to take the plunge to the jagged rocks below where a swarm of harsh ocean waves were crashing. Sadly, Luigi would fake his happiness and force a smile whenever something or someone puts him on edge, even though he's generally a kindhearted person who likes to show his strong smile.

In turn, Mario would talk to him almost every night to comfort the poor man as he teared up on his shoulder. He would rub Luigi's back during their embrace and say soothing words and phrases in Italian. The last thing the red man wanted was to lower his baby bro's self-esteem. Luigi would thank Mario every time and call him the best brother ever, knowing that he'll be there for him whenever he can. Mario would take those words to heart, but he knew that statement wasn't true. He did feel bad for making Luigi feel sad and alone for most of his life. Nevertheless, he made a promise to his younger brother: to make sure he was safe.

* * *

As for Sonic, he had to thank fate for finding such a good friend and a loving little brother. Long ago, the blue hedgehog landed on Westside Island (where Tails originally lived) when his plane's engine malfunctioned. He was irritated at first, but decided to explore the vast land. He found a bustling city, full of animals walking around in professional suits and dresses or casual clothes. Sonic caught a glimpse of a chili-dog stand and couldn't help but stop for lunch.

There were multiple occasions were the hedgehog was immediately recognized while walking in the town. A lot people formed an insane crowd, holding pens and pads desperately asking for his autograph or cameras to take photos. Sonic almost lost his lunch, a bag of ten chili dogs, as the people surrounded him.

He didn't mind making people happy, but sometimes he wished he could stay away from the celebrity status and find someone to hang out with as friends. Sure, he met tons of fans, but they weren't technically well known to him. In fact, he never had a best friend, or anyone. He lost his parents at a young age when Dr. Robotnik terrorized his home land, Christmas Island. It wasn't until he was seven years old when he decided to train himself and use his special speed to get revenge on the one who took his family away from him.

But going back to his brotherly bonds, Sonic was heading back to his broken biplane as he walked into the dense jungle. That's when he heard a loud scream. Sonic ran towards the source and found it. There were three teenagers, a tiger, a jaguar, and a coyote, surrounding a little fox. With curiosity, Sonic hid behind a tree and listened to the confrontation. The bullies started harassing the young, innocent kit by beating him up, calling him names, and throwing him into the ground until he started crying. It didn't take long for the kitsune to let out his tears as he begged the trio to stop. To no avail, the bullies were about to continue until Sonic came and taught them a lesson. Showing no mercy, he wiped them all out and they ran away from the blue hedgehog.

Immediately, Sonic took notice of the poor, yellow fox, who was curled up in a ball, whimpering as the tears continued to flow down his closed pupils. He noticed the scars, bruises, and even the dried blood and dirt that covered his fur. Kneeling down to him, Sonic asked if the fox was okay. The little kit peaked his head up slowly to glance at the hedgehog's caring, emerald eyes. Although he didn't know him nor did he trust him, the fox nodded uncomfortably.

After talking for a while and even offering some of his lunch, Sonic made the kit feel slightly better than before, now knowing about his name and his unique twin tails which started the nickname. Knowing Tails was homeless, yet a talented mechanic (who even surprised him when he fixed his biplane), and had no one with him, the blue hero smiled as he had an idea; he decided to take care of the young kit by taking him into his home! That was the start of something new for the both Sonic and Tails: their resilient friendship. They also had something they thought they would never have again: a family. The hedgehog and the fox always cared for each other if one of them was down. It was the unbreakable bond they shared that kept the two together. **_(3)_**

Like the red plumber, Sonic was overprotective of his brother. There were times that he ended up regretting his actions, which includes yelling at him. If he treated the fox with an angry tone, it would take just a few minutes to calm himself. But it may take a couple of hours, or even until the following morning when he realized his mistake. Sonic would feel bad for treating the fox like that.

And if something bad were to happen to Tails, he would _never_ forgive himself. If the fox gets kidnapped by Eggman or any enemy, Sonic wouldn't bear to think of what would happen to his best friend. He could suffer more than just being bullied and kicked around. And on some of his adventures, the thoughts rang true. Some would leave Tails scarred up with dried blood visible on his fur, tears that once escaped his blue eyes, and bruises found throughout his once unstable body. Due to this, Sonic would blame himself for not protecting Tails in the first place. He wouldn't know what to do if he had to go back to being all alone again.

Otherwise, if Tails was in a sorrowful mood, Sonic would offer the kitsune his shoulder whenever he was about to cry. He was so young at that time that it was understandable why he would feel sad after what he has been through. Because of that, the fox would sob as his head was cradled close to the hedgehog's neck or chest. Sonic would calmly shush the kit, rub his back, and caress his bushy appendages from behind as an attempt to soothe his pain and emotions. In the end, Tails would ask Sonic if he could sleep with him, to which he was okay with. It made the fox feel happy, knowing that his older brother loved him as his new family.

* * *

Based off this, you now know about the background of these two families: two different sets of brothers. Mario and Luigi are among the same bloodline whereas Sonic and Tails are of different species, but is considered family with the fox being adopted. But at this point, you're probably wondering why I'm discussing about Mario and Sonic's relationship with their respective brothers. You also may be wondering where the hell this story is going...

…Well, brace yourselves. Because not all things end up well for the characters I mentioned above. Why? Because I'm about to reveal the story of how they discovered that the bonds are not invincible. They may be long-lasting, but things will change completely, to the point where life will never be the same. As a result though, a door becomes wide open to give these heroes a new reason to stay strong and live life to the fullest.

This is the story of how Mario and Sonic crossed paths with each other. This is the story of how they started a new relationship…

…A new bond. A **_new brotherhood_** , after their own brothers were lost.

 ** _END OF CHAPTER_**

* * *

 _Well, that marks the prologue of New Brotherhood. What do you guys think? Where will this story go? Find out in Ch. 1._

 _Please leave a review, follow/favorite the story for new chapters, and I'll see you guys later. Thanks for reading, and I hope you have a great day!_

-TheGameNguyener

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 ** _Post-Chapter Notes:_**

 ** _(1):_** _This is going back to the prior events of Super Mario Sunshine, which occurred after the end of Luigi's Mansion, both games that debuted on the GameCube._

 ** _(2):_** _These events occurred in Super Paper Mario for the Wii. (The last sentence, however, was something I made up. It is not confirmed in the game itself.)_

 ** _(3):_** _I took a stab at a summarized rendition of how Sonic met Tails, and how he took in the fox, which started their brotherhood and friendship (around the timeline of Sonic the Hedgehog 2). I didn't want to get into too much detail, but I hope it worked out!_


	2. Ch 1: Losing a Loved One (Part 1)

_A/N: __Here's where our story begins. The start of_ _New Brotherhood_ _. WARNING: Character deaths, explicit language, and dark scenes included._

 _Second note, I made some slight changes to the prologue, nothing too major though._

 _Third of all, I'm still working on the next chapter for_ _Hidden Bravery_ _, but I'm suffering through writer's block. I have most of the plot down. It's writing it down that's killing me. So, I decided to upload this to make up for lost time. I'll try to get Ch. 9 in by this weekend._

* * *

 _Disclaimer: __I don't own Mario, Sonic, or anything Nintendo and Sega respectively owns._

* * *

 **Chapter 1:** Losing a Loved One (Part 1)

 _Location: Mushroom Kingdom_

The sun was shining high in the Mushroom Kingdom sky. White clouds with faces on them floated in the vast blue. The weather made it look like it was going to be another great day. But it wasn't. On this day, it was _still_ not the time where anyone was happy. No one felt this way for an entire week. Today marked the seventh day since the incident.

10 a.m. That was the time that appeared on Mario's alarm clock as he stood in front of his bedroom mirror. The well-renowned hero looked at his reflection with an indifferent look on his face. He frowned, for he was not in a good mood. There was a mix of emotions running through his mind.

He was melancholy.

Angry.

Distraught.

Stressed.

Lonely…

Mario checked his appearance one last time. He wasn't wearing his typical plumber clothes with the red hat and shirt, royal blue overalls, and brown boots. Instead, he was dressed in a white, buttoned-up undershirt tucked inside his dark gray trousers. He had a red tie worn under the collar and a black suit jacket that went down to his waist. There were black dress shoes covering the man's feet. He didn't wear a hat as he allowed his brown hair to show off to the world. But the way Mario was dressed was not for a fashion display. Although he hated formal clothes, it was worn for a certain occasion.

 _"_ _It's time to go,"_ he thought as he closed his eyes tightly.

He solemnly headed out of his bedroom, shutting the door with a small click. Step by step, the man treaded down the stairs and approached a small rack on the wall. He took his home key and proceeded out the front door. After locking up the house, Mario stuffed the metal utensil in the pocket of his dress pants as he slowly walked away from the front porch.

Usually when he left the residence, one of two separate scenarios would occur. One, Mario would depart from his home while being accompanied by his younger brother, Luigi. Or two, he would go alone, leaving the man in green by himself to clean and supervise the small cottage, or do whatever he pleases. Either situation would lead Mario to another perilous journey to rescue Princess Peach from Bowser or some new evil that approached the brothers. Otherwise, he would spend some quality leisure time with his friends at Mushroom Castle or travel to worlds near and far under personal circumstances.

Today was a different story though. Mario left his house with no one to watch over it. And he was leaving the place _alone_ as he walked down the path to the pipe that led to Toad Town. So, where was Luigi? Was he forgotten _again_?

The answer… is no.

He wasn't ignored by his older brother and almost everyone like before. Instead, Luigi was just gone.

Not gone, as in traveling to Sarasaland to visit his second closest partner, Princess Daisy: the ruler of the royal country. Not gone, as in meeting up with Professor E. Gadd and his pet Polterpup in Boo Woods. Not gone, as in going off on an adventure, with or without his older bro, regardless if it's another ghost hunt. Not gone, as in spending time on his own whenever he wanted to or strolling through Toad Town to run his errands. He was gone.

 _Gone_.

 ** _Forever_**.

Prior to the tragedy that shocked the Mushroom Kingdom and its neighboring realms, almost everyone barely acknowledged the green plumber. Eventually, word spread throughout Toad Town and to each village, city, and world Mario has visited before. Every individual, both good and bad, species of Toads, Koopas, Piantas, and more, learned about the news that occurred the previous week.

The witnesses were Mario himself and Princess Peach who were in the dungeon on that dreadful day. Where the action took place, but the tension was high. Where the final battle was won, yet it ended with a loss. Where the green hero laid silently on the floor, and the man in red was in disbelief…

That time has gone by and now something else has come. Today was the day of Luigi's funeral.

* * *

 _~Flashback: One week ago_

 _…_

 _Location: Bowser's Castle_

 _"_ _Come on, Luigi! We're almost at Bowser's throne room!" the red plumber called out after wiping out a pair of Hammer and Fire Bros. "We'll save the princess in no time!"_

 _"_ _Slow down, Mario!" Luigi was struggling against a Koopatrol with his hammer. "I still need to take care of this guy!"_

 _Mario couldn't wait any longer. "Well I'm not one to waste time. Who knows what that evil Koopa is up to! Peach needs me!" The red-clad man started to ascend the large staircase, leaving his little bro behind._

 _That made Luigi angry on the inside. "Sure, think about her instead of me. No fucking surprise there. This is the Isle Delfino vacation all over again," he muttered as he pounced the mallet on the spiked Koopa's helmet. "Finally you're done for!" The green man ran towards the steps to follow his brother._

 _Mario kept sprinting as he was halfway to the tallest tower. "For a guy like Bowser, you would expect him to build an elevator considering how lazy he is. But that doesn't matter. I do like running. Hell, I've been doing it for years!"_

 _He made his way to the apex of the stairs and opened the large double doors that stood in front of him. Inside was Bowser's lair. In plain sight, Mario scowled at the malevolent Koopa King, who was sitting in his royal armchair. Next to him was a suspended cage that held the fair Mushroom Princess in pink inside._

 _"_ _Mario!" Peach cried. "You came to save me again!"_

 _"_ _Pfft, as if!" Bowser scoffed. "Listen here, beautiful…" She flinched at his words with disgust. "This time, I'm gonna take him down for good. You'll never see your stupid mustached hero again. And you will be my bride!"_

 _Peach was horrified whereas Mario was more triggered than disgusted at him to even bring up forced marriage again._

 _"_ _Watch your words, Bowser," he warned as he prepared a flame in his right hand. "You're not getting away with this. I've taken you down before every other fight, and I'll do it again today!"_

 _Bowser shook his head with an evil grin. "Foolish Mario. I've got something special planned for you. I'll keep it out of the way for now though."_

 _"_ _What do you mean by that?"_

 _"_ _It's a surprise. It wouldn't be one if I just brought it up on the spot. I'll save it when I really need it. But guarantee this, plumber._ _I_ _ **will**_ _end your game," the spiked turtle threatened as he got up from his throne and took a few steps towards his arch-nemesis._

 _"_ _Please. I don't need to hear it twice."_

 _"_ _I also noticed how your puny brother isn't here to witness your upcoming demise. Where is the little punk anyway?"_

 _Mario made a fist. "Don't you_ _ **dare**_ _talk about Luigi like that."_

 _"_ _Enlighten me, Mario. Is he at home, sitting silently as the depressed, useless brother? Or did you bring him just to show how weak of a fighter he is?_

 _"_ _Shut up, Bowser! Luigi is here with me!"_

 _"_ _Oh, yeah? Then where is Green 'Stache? Left him alone in the shadows again?" the Koopa taunted. Mario froze as he didn't give an answer. The last thing he remembered was leaving Luigi behind as he fought against a Koopatrol and he just simply left him behind in the fight scene without even helping him. Mostly because of he was impatient and he wanted to rescue Peach as soon as possible._

 _Suddenly, Mario had a bead of sweat running down from his forehead. He realized that he just left Luigi without even thinking. Without even caring. Without even helping. The hero departed him just because he was thinking about himself and the princess. Mario felt guilty from this._

 _Before he even had a chance to retort, Bowser laughed. "Bwahahaha! I knew it. If he really is here, he's probably crying in a corner, all beaten up from trying to enter combat. We all know he's a pacifist, which is understandable because he's nothing but a weakling. But that doesn't matter since no one gives a damn about him. Not even you, Mario."_

 _Mario tightened his fists in anger while Peach had a hand over her mouth. "How could he say those things about Luigi?" she thought to herself. "He's a kind, loving person. So sweet and friendly. And Mario does care about him. He's his younger brother!"_

 _Just then, a loud slam was heard from behind. Mario turned his back to glance at the source. There stood Luigi. His fists were clenched, and a daring, death stare was shown on his face. Except it wasn't to Bowser._

 _"_ _Well, I made it here, no thanks to you," he pointed a finger at Mario. "I got ambushed by more minions and had to deal more damage to them. But you probably don't care." Mario's fireball dimmed as he remained speechless. "Well don't just stand there! Go! Save the princess! You don't need me!"_

 _"_ _Weegie," Mario pleaded. "Don't say that. You know I need you."_

 _"_ _You obviously didn't when you left me down there."_

 _The Mario Bros. continued their small argument for a few minutes. It somewhat entertained Bowser seeing them have a lack of trust with each other. However, he continued to lose his patience, stomping his foot on the ground while crossing his arms. Peach placed her hands over her brooch. She wanted her friends to be fighting against Bowser, not at each other._

 _"_ _Look, let's get this over with. I'll make it up to you somehow," Mario concluded._

 _Luigi sighed. He was still angry at him, but he was right. They needed to stop Bowser and free Peach._

 _Mario prepared the fire in his hand again. Luigi pulled the steel mallet from his pocket as they got into their fighting stances._

 _"_ _Alright, Stupid Mario Bros.! Get ready for the most brutal experience ever!" Bowser roared as he unleashed his fire breath._

 _The brothers split apart, jumping away from the flame. Mario charged at Bowser and threw his fireballs at the Koopa King. They slightly burned his skin, but he persevered. Bowser tried to counter with his fire. Next, the spiked turtle started to run towards him with his sharp claws ready tear Mario apart. With his athleticism, Mario jumped, dodged, and rolled away from danger. At the right time, the plumber plunged his feet into his enemy's face, causing the monster to grunt as he held his head._

 _While Mario continued his showdown, Luigi's side of the fight featured more minor fights against Bowser's troops as they came from a nearby room. He took down a set of Goombas and Paratroopas, knocked some Koopa shells with his hammer, and defeated a Hammer Bros. battalion._

 _Using his jumping techniques and strong weapon, the younger brother managed to take down more enemies. He did, however, feel bad for hurting them. He knew some of them were forced to work for the evil Koopa. With that, he mentally apologized to the fallen minions. However, he needed to move on._

 _Luigi had an intuition that Bowser gave one of his underlings a key, the one that would release Princess Peach from her prison. One by one, he took down the enemies (and still regretted harming them) until he finished off another tough Koopatrol. When the spiked warrior was helpless on his shell, the key dropped from his possession. Instantly, Luigi ran towards the key, picked it up, and made his way towards Peach. He took a quick glance at Mario who was fighting Bowser. It looked like the man in red was about to become victorious. Luigi couldn't help but smile, knowing that Mario was holding the advantage. He thought everything was turning out like the previous adventures. Unfortunately, he'll soon find out that this fight will end with a result no one would expect._

 _As Bowser recomposed himself, he went to desperate measures. He ran towards Mario with a fist ready for revenge, slightly catching the plumber off guard. The mustachioed man jumped up on a small ledge of the wall before Bowser breathed more fire towards him. Yet again, Mario dodged the flames and landed sharply between the Koopa's horns, dealing more damage to the boss. Mario landed after the impact and was about to turn around and pelt another fireball at him._

 _"Okay, Bowser. Time to finish you... off?"_

 _As the red hero looked behind, Bowser was nowhere to be found. Then, he heard a ferocious roar. Mario looked up and in a split second, the shelled antagonist pounced on him and critically injured the plumber with a single move._ _ **(1)**_

 _"_ _AIIYEEE!" Mario shrieked as his body rolled backwards and bounced on the floor, who soon landed on his chest._

 _Luigi, who just freed Peach and was thanked by her with a kiss, immediately heard his brother in trouble. He gasped as he saw Mario face down._

 _"_ _Mario!" he whispered, keeping his voice down so Bowser wouldn't notice him or the princess._

 _Princess Peach also noticed the fallen plumber. "Oh no! He's hurt!"_

 _But it didn't stop there. Bowser showed no mercy and picked him up. Using his strength, he spun around before tossing Mario to a wall._

 _"_ _AAAHHHH!"_

 _*_ _ **SLAM**_ _*_

 _Following the damage, he landed heavily on the floor, barely breathing. He flinched at every bit of soreness roaming in his body._

 _Unfortunately, the discomfort got even worse when Bowser held him by the collar and growled evilly at him. Without saying a word, he threw the red hero on the floor in the middle of the throne room. The physical torture continued to ache as Mario fell on his chest again. Luigi and Peach were still hiding from Bowser, cringing at every move that he did to their friend._

 _Then, Bowser slowly approached the fallen plumber. Mario heard the vibrating footsteps and barely looked up. He grimaced at the sight of him._

 _"_ _Looks like it's time bring out the special surprise I mentioned before! Believe me. It's as bad as you think."_

 _The large Koopa pulled out a metal remote with a black button and his signature red logo on it. As he pushed the device, the castle began to shake violently. Mario, who was already down, couldn't get up as he felt his body searing in pain. Suddenly, a large wall opened up to reveal Bowser's secret weapon: a twenty-foot tall cannon with a sleek, gray polish, colored streaks in red, green, and yellow, and a noticeable Bowser logo painted on the side._

 _"_ _Introducing, the Bowser Death Ray! This will get rid of you in one massive hit. That way, you can slowly suffer an excruciating demise for your friends to witness. Time to say your final goodbye, Mario!"_

 _Bowser pushed the button once more as the cannon began to charge. A loud speaker was heard from the deadly weapon._

 ** _"_** ** _Bowser Death Ray activated. Aimed at target: Mario. Launching in T-minus fifteen seconds. Fourteen. Thirteen. Twelve."_**

 _"_ _BWAHAHAHA! Your time is up, Mario! And I will get away with Peach by side forever! Now I'll just head back to her and..."_

 _Bowser stopped when he saw the princess standing in fear and free from the cage. He was utterly confused about this. Unexpectedly, he experienced another blow to his bruised face._

 _"_ _AUGHHH!" he groaned from the collision. This time, he got hurt by some hard and clunky that it knocked him out unconscious!_

 ** _"_** ** _Eight. Seven. Six."_**

 _Mario barely got on his knees and hands as if he were a lost, broken puppy standing in the middle of the street, about to be run over by an oncoming vehicle. Only he's in a situation where can't escape from an impending death ray._

 _"_ _I'm… too weak to… move."_

 ** _"_** ** _Five."_**

 _"_ _Is this the end… for me?"_

 ** _"_** ** _Four."_**

 _"_ _I guess so."_

 ** _"_** ** _Three."_**

 _"_ _Princess Peach. Luigi."_

 ** _"_** ** _Two."_**

 _"_ _Everyone I know and love…"_

 ** _"_** ** _One."_**

 _"_ _Please… don't forget about me." Mario remained still and hurt as he waited for the impending blow. He wasn't ready for death. But it was too late to avoid it._

 ** _"_** ** _Zero."_**

 _The cannon sent out a large, red blast towards the injured man._

 _…_

 _…_

 _…_

 _Darkness roamed from outside the castle. Silence filled the dungeon, not a sound could be heard. Except something. Or more like someone._

 _And that's when he realized. He_ ** _heard_** _someone. Someone weeping. That meant, he was still alive! But wait, why did he hear crying?_

 _Mario fluttered his eyes, barely blinking to restore his vision. Then, he noticed something else. He was laying on his back, his eyes facing the ceiling. But how was that possible? Moments ago, he was struggling on all fours, waiting for his game to be over. He gradually lifted his head with all of his remaining might._

 _Once again, Mario made another discovery. The red-clad man found Bowser unconscious, ten feet in front of him. He was on his stomach with his eyes sealed. Yet, he didn't look dead. Mario noticed that there were a couple of bruises from his body. But what caught his eye was the large bulge present on his head. There was also blood that fell from the top._

 _"_ _Blood? But that doesn't make sense. My boots aren't that powerful. And I'm sure I didn't cause that," Mario contemplated with confusion._

 _A fourth breakthrough was found. He saw a familiar object laying next to the Koopa King. It looked like Luigi's hammer. No, it_ _ **was**_ _Luigi's hammer! But if his hammer was there, then where was…_

 _"_ _Luigi!" Mario sat up quickly and looked to his right, and then his left. He found the source of the crying at least. It was coming from Princess Peach who was kneeling down. But what was she sobbing about it? Why was she in emotional distress? And where was his younger bro?_

 _"_ _Princess Peach?" Mario's voice was barely above a whisper._

 _Then, the Mushroom princess turned her head around, gasping at what she just heard. "M-M-Mario?!"_

 _Mario immediately saw the distraught look on Peach's face. Her beautiful, blue eyes were full of tears, with some of them falling down her red cheeks._

 _"_ _Peach, what's wrong?" he asked concernedly._

 _"_ _Luigi…" she answered at first. "He… he…" At that point, Peach couldn't help it. She covered her face with the palms of her hands and sobbed loudly._

 _Mario managed to stand up, ignoring his injuries, and walked towards her. And once again, Mario ran into another shocking reveal. He found his younger brother, lying on the ground. His head was resting in Peach's lap as he was breathing heavily; his eyes were barely open as his chest was moving up and down rapidly._

 _His chest. That's what caused Mario to be in shock. There was a hole through Luigi's clothing, near his somewhat beating heart. Crimson blood spilled from the region as it flowed down to the cold dungeon floor. His eyes widened at the image. His mouth was open, but he couldn't find the words to react._

 _"_ _L-Luigi…" He walked over and kneeled to the side of his injured sibling. Peach lowered her hands to see the two mustached heroes, but still covered her mouth as she was at a loss for words._

 _The green man tilted his head to see his older bro. "M-Mario… You're okay… Th-th-thank go-goodness…"_

 _"_ _Luigi, what happened to you?"_

 _"_ _Peach and I… saw you h-hurt from B-Bowser… You looked defeated as he ch-charged the cannon." Luigi paused for a few seconds before catching up on his breath. "I… threw my hammer at him. Luckily, it… was on point and it knocked him… o-out. But, the ray was about to… hit you. You were on the verge… of d-d-dying… So, I-I… ran over and… p-pushed you… out of the way. But, it didn't… e-end well. F-for me, that is."_

 _Mario was aghast. Luigi sacrificed himself to save him?!_

 _"_ _Luigi, why did you do it? Why, after what I put you through? I left you alone, many times, and didn't help you at all. I wasn't caring towards you earlier." Mario's voice began to crack halfway through. He started to do something he has never done since his parents died: showing his emotions. It was evident as his sapphire eyes started to water up._

 _"_ _D-don't think like that. You've left me alone… to k-keep me safe. I knew that. But sometimes… I wanted to be with you… to prove that I can be as independent… as you. Sure, I was sad... and lonely. Yet, you would find a way… to cheer me up."_

 _Luigi groaned as he put his left hand over the affected area. "Although I'm hurt, the important thing is... you and Peach are safe… and alive. Now, you can c-continue being the h-hero… like you've always been."_

 _Mario had a teardrop fall down his face. He grasped his right hand tightly. Peach continued to watch the siblings talk as she remained quiet._

 _"_ _Luigi! You were the hero today! You've rescued Peach while the most I've done was get harmed by Bowser! You risked your life to save me! I don't like the fact that you did it, but it showed how brave you were! Don't you see it?"_

 _Luigi smiled at his comment. "Thanks, Mario." His heavy breathing continued as he fought to keep talking to Mario. "Also, I just… want y-you to know that… you helped me w-whenever I was d-down. All those mean things I s-s-said to you before weren't true. I'm s-s-sorry for that."_

 _"_ _I forgive you, Weegie. A-And I'm sorry for not listening to you and for leaving you behind," Mario responded as more tears fell._

 _"_ _Mario, I'm not... going to… make it…" he winced in agony._

 _"_ _NO, LUIGI! Don't say that! I don't want you to go! I don't know what I would do without you! You're the only one left in my family! My one and only brother!"_

 _The humble, injured man shook his head, keeping a small smile present. "I'm sorry, Mario… But, it's almost time." Luigi looked up to the princess who still had watery eyes. "Peach, thank you… thank you f-for b-being so kind to me… It has been an honor… to help you... since we've met… You're one of... my b-best f-friends..."_

 _"_ _Oh, Luigi," Peach wept. "You're one of my best friends, too. I've always looked up to you, as much as I do to Mario. You've always been a great figure to the Mushroom community. I don't know how they'll take the news." She caressed his face with her gloved hand. Tears fell onto the cheeks of the injured Mario brother. "I'm sorry…"_

 _"_ _It's okay… Just make sure… that when I go, I want to see you smile. You look beautiful… whenever you do." Luigi responded as he made her blush. "One more thing…" Peach was waiting for his request. "Please tell Daisy… that I still love her. Even though… it's t-too late to see her one last time, I-I'll watch her from a-above." The princess nodded sadly. She knew that her best friend would be inconsolable when she finds out that her lover was killed. But she would have to know at some point. "Thank you, P-Peach…"_

 _Luigi turned over to Mario once more. He saw the drops descending onto to his black mustache. "Mario… please don't cry. You're stronger… than that." Mario gripped Luigi's hand harder as he continued to listen. "D-d-don't let my death fall… in v-vain. Just know… that… I've always respected you. Despite all the times… we argued… and faced each other… I will always love you… mio fratello…"_ _ **(2)**_

 _"_ _Oh, Luigi, il mio fratellino…_ _ **(3)**_ _I will always love you, too." More tears threatened to fall from Mario's eyes as he couldn't take away the emotional pain._

 _Luigi was about to have release his final breath. "Peach, Mario… thank you so much… Goodbye…" Then, his half-opened eyes and mouth started to close. His chest stopped rising. His hand that was once clutched fell limp._

 _…_ _That marked the end of Luigi's young life._

 _It was hard to believe that he sacrificed himself to save not just Peach, but Mario as well._

 _And now, he was dead._

 _Gone. In another place._

 _Instantly, Mario lost it. He sunk his head onto Luigi's bruised chest as he sobbed over the loss of his brother, the only family he once had. His hand that held Luigi's felt weak. His whole mindset was lost. His heart was torn; it felt like it was pulled away from him, torn into pieces, unable to be mended._

 _Peach placed a comforting hand on Mario's back as he cried. She stopped sobbing, but teardrops still fell from her sad, blue eyes. The two were devastated. Heartbroken. Saddened. For they have lost a great man. One who was happy, kind, and friendly towards others. Even towards those who were considered enemies, for he loathed fighting. But there were times when he didn't have a choice. Now, Luigi can't experience the same adventures like before. And Mario won't have the same feeling without his partner. It was the day that changed his demeanor._

 _…_

 _~End of flashback_

* * *

As he exited the warp pipe and approached the entrance to Toad Town, Mario looked up to the light blue sky, wondering if his little bro was looking down on him right now. He also wondered how he was feeling. Was Luigi happy to see his older sibling, still alive to protect the kingdom? Or was he upset that Mario was still guilty from the incident, as if he blamed himself to let him die in vain and he couldn't hold back his emotions?

The mustachioed man sighed as he let his head down. He was on his way towards his destination as the thoughts wondered in his mind.

 _"_ _Mario, please be okay. Don't treat yourself like this. Just know that I'm gonna be fine, and that I'll always watch you. I'll never leave your side. I promise…"_

 ** _END OF CHAPTER_**

* * *

 _I'm a terrible person. I killed my favorite character, Luigi, of all people. But this fanfiction is mainly focused on Mario and Sonic (and their brotherly dilemma). Speaking of which, Sonic will be found in Chapter 2. And like Mario's side of the story, it will be sad. :(_

 _Please review, follow/favorite the story if you're interested, and I'll see you guys in the next one._

* * *

 ** _Post-Chapter Notes:_**

 ** _(1):_** _I tried to describe the fight between Mario and Bowser with Luigi's actions mixed in there without going into too much detail. This is the longest chapter (so far) that I have written. Over 4000 words, not including author's notes here and at the beginning._

 ** _(2):_** _Italian for 'My brother'._

 ** _(3):_** _Italian for 'My little/younger brother'._


	3. Ch 2: Losing a Loved One (Part 2)

_A/N: __Hey guys. Sorry I haven't been active on this fanfiction compared to my main story,_ _Hidden Bravery_ _. As a reminder, this one will only be updated whenever I actually have time to write more of this when I'm not focused on_ _HB_ _or have assignments and exams to study to for._

 _I hope you guys understand that this fanfic will not have weekly uploads like_ _HB_ _. Also, I apologize that this story was on hiatus for a month. Thanks for reading as always._

 ** _*NOTE: _****_This chapter has been re-edited because I wasn't satisfied with the original death scene at first. Another Post-Chapter Note is also added to the end of the page._**

* * *

 _Disclaimer: __I do not own the rights to Mario and Sonic. They belong to Nintendo and Sega, respectively._

* * *

 **Chapter 2:** Losing a Loved One (Part 2)

 _Location: Mystic Ruins_

A quick train ride away from the center city of Station Square, located in Mobius, was the Mystic Ruins. Located on one of the largest hills was a two-story home. It wasn't large, but it wasn't small either. The residence featured a kitchen and living room which was accessible when one enters inside. Upstairs were two bedrooms, each having their own private bathroom. There was also a basement where a certain someone would tweak out his own inventions. It was the perfect size for two roommates to live in. And that's how it was for several years. But now, it was home to a lonely individual, the same way it started before the second one moved in.

Inside one of the bedrooms was a blue hedgehog known for his snarky attitude and laid-back demeanor. But none of those traits were expressed by the character over the past week. This person, or animal, was none other than Sonic the Hedgehog, the original owner of the cottage.

He's also known as the well-renowned hero of his world to defeat and stop Eggman from succeeding total domination and from building his dream utopia. The notorious scientist was also known for building robots, kidnapping animals and trapping them in his mechs, and being obsessive with the power of the seven Chaos Emeralds, using them to his personal gain to get rid of the hedgehog.

But Sonic was always there to fight against the obese doctor and he's won every battle. At first, he was the only one to come face-to-face with Eggman. He made a goal to prevent chaos from getting in his way ever since the day his enemy murdered his own parents at a young age. But he wouldn't do it alone after befriending a young fox named Miles Prower, who was also known as Tails.

As Tails grew up, he seemed to be strong enough to be a worthy sidekick to the blue hedgehog. He followed his idol in many of his adventures. The dynamic duo would never lose sight and remained close. And if they did get divided, they'd search the depths of the earth and sacrifice everything they had to reunite with each other. But entering today, the two were isolated. They weren't together, and it was different than every other moment.

The reason? This separation was permanent.

Back to Sonic, he stood in front of his window, viewing the sunlight shining down on the green hills. As an anthropomorphic animal, he doesn't normally wear clothes like humans do. In fact, it's optional for guys like him to even wear clothing to cover their bodies. His usual attire were his two white gloves that protected his hands, the white socks that concealed his bare feet, and a pair of glossy, red sneakers with white straps and gold buckles.

This morning, Sonic had the same apparel, but replaced his red kicks with some brown dress shoes. Additionally, he wore a black vest. The long sleeves extended down to his wrists, the back had three holes to complement his quills and tailbone from behind, and the bottom of the jacket reached his waist. The article of clothing didn't have buttons so part of his peach-colored chest was visible. He didn't wear any pants, which was natural and comfortable for him. It's the formal top that mattered, despite being somewhat tight on his upper half.

" _Sigh…"_ He let out an exasperated, yet melancholy sigh as he gazed up at the blue sky. _"Buddy, I know you're up there somewhere, and I hope you're okay. But… I still don't think I'm strong enough to live life without you."_

Sonic clenched his eyes shut and made a fist with his right hand. He began to shake nervously and his legs felt unstable. They were skinny and well-toned for his daily running whenever we woke up early in the morning or was out venturing through the ruins and city. But over the last week, he lost motivation to resume doing the thing he loved most…

Because he lost someone he loved the most.

He missed the one he took in when he was alone and helpless after being bullied for years as a kid. The one who stood by his side when they fought against Eggman and all sources of evil. The one who always looked up to him whenever he was down or in trouble. The one who filled that empty void ever since he was alone. The one who meant _everything_ to him.

Sonic lost Tails. His fighting partner. His best friend. His little brother.

 _"_ _Tails… I'm so sorry…"_

The emotions hit Sonic right in the heart that he did something he hated to witness or experience. Something that hasn't done since his parents were killed on that dreadful day. It took until one fatal incident to break that streak. What he did, was cry. He wept as the repelling nightmare came back to haunt his inner thoughts.

The time Tails sacrificed his life for Sonic.

* * *

 _~Flashback: One week ago_

 _…_

 _Location: Eggman's base_

 _"_ _Sonic! We're approaching his lair very soon! We gotta rescue those poor animals," Tails called from the pilot's seat as he glided the Tornado overseas._

 _"_ _And rescue them is what we're gonna do! That fatso scientist won't know that we're gonna hit him into next week!" yelled a determined Sonic who was standing on the wing of the plane, causing the kitsune pilot to chuckle._

 _The Tornado did have two seats, but the hedgehog was already used to high speeds, considering he's the 'fastest thing alive', so he usually chills on the plane itself for some thrills. The only thing he feared was the Tornado crashing into the ocean. Otherwise, he'd be in serious trouble because he's unable to swim._

 _Tails, who was accustomed to flying with his unique twin tails, was named the main pilot of the Sonic team ever since his blue friend brought him into battle against Eggman. Sonic always trusted him with his biplane because of his mindful skillset on mechanics and aeronautics._ _ **(1)**_

 _The Tornado was within five hundred feet of the base, located on an isolated island surrounded by water. Even though Eggman designed it to exaggerate his devotion for technology, buildings, and science (and to show off his various insignia throughout the place), it was built on an ideal location where Sonic couldn't reach on his own by foot. And that's where Tails comes in: to fly him there and be by his side to stop the evil doctor._

 _"_ _Prepare for landing," Tails announced as he decreased the plane's speed and activated the landing gear. Pressing a button, the wheels came out of the unit. As the aircraft descended, Tails executed a smooth arrival on the rocky island._

 _"_ _Nice flying, Tails!" Sonic complimented as he hopped off the wing. Tails unbuckled his seat belt and jumped from the cockpit._

 _"_ _Thanks, Sonic!" he replied as he gave his friend a high five. "Now, let's infiltrate this base and rescue those critters!"_

 _"_ _Right on, little bro!"_

 _Sonic dashed to the front entrance while Tails followed in pursuit, whirling his two tails to pick up speed. It seemed like a normal rescue mission for the inseparable duo. But fate wouldn't be the same for this adventure._

* * *

 _They finally reached the control room of Eggman's lair where the doctor's mechanism forced the kidnapped animals to be trapped and converted into his robots. Inside, they saw the large, skinny-legged antagonist smirking under that brown mustache of his._

 _"_ _Well, well… if isn't Sonic the blue rat and Tails the two-tailed wimp! Came here to try and foil my plans again? Well, too bad! My newest mechs will finally be able to destroy you!" he taunted with a cocky attitude._

 _Sonic scoffed with hatred. "Ugh, I told you before, I am a freaking hedgehog! Now let those critters go before I smash your mechs to pieces. Or I'll bust up on your dim-witted head 'til you lack a brain, not that you have one anyway."_

 _Tails held back a snicker from his friend's comeback. He wanted to sound intimidating as well. "You heard what Sonic said! If you don't listen to us, then we'll take you down like we always do!"_

 _Eggman gazed at the fox and puffed out a sarcastic sigh. "You know, foxy boy, it baffles me on why this fool would want to adopt you in the first place."_

 _"_ _Hey! Leave my little bro out of this!" demanded Sonic._

 _But Eggman ignored him. "Just look at you: a little kid like you who doesn't deserve anyone, except me, because I've had many chances to robotize you to work for my army. Since you're an intelligent little brat, I must admit, and even better as a mechanic, it would have been perfect if you were the one to erect my newest creations and blueprints to life! That way I don't have to do anything."_

 _Tails was speechless to hear Eggman's comment on kidnapping him to convert to the evil side. And to be a permanent slave for him would be absolute hell to him. Probably worse than getting bullied and knocked out like those unfortunate times back on Westside._

 _"_ _Sorry, Egg-wad. But Tails will never side with you, even if he was forced to. And don't you_ _ **ever**_ _say those things to him," Sonic warned with a hint of anger._

 _"_ _Oh, you mean, things like the fact that he's a two-tailed_ _ **freak**_ _?" smirked Eggman._

 _That was the last straw. Tails had tears running down his face when that word popped out of the fat man's mouth. His stomach churned with agony as he started to build up steam._

 _Sonic cautiously glanced at the fox with a concerned face. He knew how much Tails was sensitive whenever people called him names, especially 'freak'. It was the most corrupted word that ruined his young childhood. He darted back to Egghead with a scowl. He can (somewhat) tolerate his enemy calling him a rat or rodent. But when he targets Tails, he considers it as drawing the line._

 _"_ _Watch your goddamn mouth, Eggface. I'm gonna make you eat those words and beat the hell out of you!" he flared up._

 _"_ _I like to see you try," Eggman snickered._

 _Tails regained his composure and looked at Sonic. A few more drops fell from his eyes, but he gave him a confident nod. Sonic returned the gesture and the two faced the enemy._

 _The blue hedgehog started by running up to the doctor and juked out the incoming lasers that fired from the army of robots. He zipped up to the walls and evaded every incoming hit as the wall blasted into burnt metal. Some of the shots ricocheted off the control panel and zapped some of the Badniks themselves._

 _"_ _Grrr, you're supposed to aim at Sonic, not shoot behind him! You idiots have horrible accuracy!" Eggman growled._

 _"_ _For once, I agree with ya!" Sonic chuckled, infuriating the doctor even more._

 _Tails went for the more direct approach and stood up to the bots. Ever since his hero shaped him to be more confident, the kit has been an improvement in combat. Taking out his inventions and tools were the key to his attack pattern. In this case, he pulled out a wrench and whacked some mech, causing them to malfunction. Whenever he had to dodge, he spun his unique body parts to hover away. In turn, Tails whipped out a boomerang and successfully knocked out three robots and destroyed three more as the whipped object returned to him. He also managed to rescue the six critters who were trapped inside._

 _"_ _Yes! Take that Eggman!" he shouted with mockery._

 _"_ _Don't get so cocky, you yellow twerp!"_

 _Eggman fought back with his large ray gun, constructed of multiple pipes where the ammo came out, that was supported by both of his hands. While holding the heavy weapon, the doctor fired several lasers at him. Tails evaded the attacks and flew over the army. He caught a glimpse of his blue friend spin dashing into some of the mechs, releasing more of the animals._

 _"_ _Tails! Give me a lift!"_

 _"_ _Coming at you!" Tails nosedived to Sonic and clenched his hands as he held on tight. Flying in the air and still avoiding Eggman's gun, the fox flew over to the main control unit where the other captured creatures were about to be converted into the Badnik legion._

 _Tails motioned Sonic to let go of one of his hands. The hedgehog did what he was told and saw him scuffling through his fur. He smirked when he saw him pull out a ring._

 _"_ _Go for it, Sonic!" Tails called as he handed him the golden item._

 _"_ _Will do, little bro!" Sonic obliged as he clutched it in his palm. Letting go of Tails, he charged his spin dash in midair before ramming into the large technological machine. With a quick slash, the device blew up into pieces. Surprisingly, all the critters were unharmed from the explosion._ _ **(2)**_

 _"_ _Darn it! Do I have to do everything myself?" Eggman furiously spat out. "Guess I'm going to up the ante."_

 _The scientist dug through his pocket to whip out a remote with a red button and the outline of his face imprinted on it. Pushing the controls, the remaining Badniks went into rage mode and darted right at Sonic._

 _As said hedgehog landed from the blazing impact, he was about to dust off his shoulders like he would after accomplishing something. But as he lifted his left arm, it was caught by one of the robots._

 _"_ _Huh? Hey! Let me go!" Sonic yelled as another restrained his right._

 _Tails who landed on the ground saw his caught friend. "Oh no! Sonic!" Before he could run up to him, however, two Crabmeats pinched their claws onto Tails' scrawny arms. "OWW!" he yelped._

 _"_ _Tails! Let him go, Eggman! Don't you dare hurt him!"_

 _"_ _You've always said that whenever I capture that little freak of yours. Such a pathetic request," Eggman sneered. Tails wanted to cry. Not just from being squeezed tightly by the crabs' claws, but also from Eggman calling him_ _ **that**_ _again. "And besides, I've done enough to ridicule this little pest. But why not make his life more miserable by getting rid of the only one who cares about him?"_

 _"_ _You wouldn't dare!" the fox bellowed._

 _"_ _Well as long as you don't touch a hair on his head… Otherwise, you're gonna regret it!" threatened Sonic._

 _"_ _Oh, and what's gonna happen when I do touch him? Cry like the unstable freak he always was since he was born?" Tails continued to release tears as he heard Eggman speak again. "But to reiterate, I said it's probably best for both sides if I just kill you!"_

 _"_ _How does that balance out? You get the satisfaction of killing me and Tails remains alive but sad for the rest of his life? What are you, sick?"_

 _"_ _Wow, you just explained the words right out of my mouth. Now let's get started, shall we?" he snickered as he flipped a switch on his ray gun to 'overdrive'. The pipes suddenly merged into one, huge gun barrel. One charged-up hit would be deadly enough to destroy the hedgehog._

 _Sonic felt hopeless. Despite rescuing most of the animals, he was thinking how he let Mobius and his friend down as they were both captured. All he could do was struggle in the arms of Eggman's minions. As he continued to flail in their grasps, they squeezed his arms tighter causing him to flinch and bite his tongue. He lowered his head and closed his emerald eyes in defeat._

 _When a red light lit up, the ray gun indicated that it was fully powered enough to kill someone with one blast. Eggman placed his index finger on the trigger and prepared for his victory._

 _"_ _HOHOHO! SAY YOUR LAST GOODBYE, SONIC!"_

 _Eggman fired the charged-up beam and shot straight at the cobalt-furred hedgehog. But neither of them expected what was about to happen next. The next thing they heard was a loud, high-pitched cry._

 _"_ _SONIC! NOOOO!"_

 _Sonic opened his eyes of what should have been his ill-fated death scene. But the next thing he knew, he saw his little brother… diving in front of him. And what he heard next shattered his soul and heart._

 _In his sacrificial attempt, the fox got struck in his white-furred chest. "AAAAAHHH!"_

 _"_ _TAILS!" Sonic cried in fear, surprise, and grief as he saw his buddy got hurt._

 _Tails collapsed instantly from the impact. After a few seconds, he was immobile as his face planted into the metal floor._

 _Sonic couldn't believe what he just witnessed. His best friend, the little brother he took, sacrificed his well being for him. And to see him on the ground from the attack left him speechless while shaking his head, unable to control his thoughts._

 _"_ _ARRGH! GOD DAMN IT! I WAS SUPPOSED TO KILL THE HEDGEHOG! That stupid freak got in my way, and now my ray gun is out of power!" shouted an irate Eggman as he only paid attention to his used-up firearm._

 _That set off Sonic in a heartbeat. He was enraged at his antagonist for calling him a freak again. And he was angry that the evil man didn't give a damn about him. The feeling of fury and angst building inside his body caused him to change his fur into a dark blue coat, his emerald eyes disappeared until his eyes shined an intimidating shade of nothing but white. He furiously flailed away from the Badniks restraining him. Getting out of their grasps, he pulled off his homing attack and destroyed the robots. His lifeless eyes turned to the doctor. "You son of a bitch! I'M GONNA HURT YOU FOR THIS!" he roared in a deep, menacing voice. At this point, his fur was completely black. He was Dark Sonic._ _ **(3)**_ _Then, he lunged towards Eggman which was when he noticed his outburst._

 _"_ _Uh oh," he murmured. Then, Dark Sonic punched Eggman so hard that he went flying face first into the metal wall, his legs and arms extended out from the collision. He fell to the floor as he became unconscious._

 _The dark hedgehog furiously scowled at Eggman as he held his fists tightly on both sides. Then, he reverted to his original, modern form as the anger alleviated. He then turned to the fallen fox, which was when Sonic went back to his worried state. Immediately, he ran up to him._

 _"_ _Tails! Tails! Are you okay?"_

 _After not hearing an answer, he shifted the fox from his side so his back was on the floor. Then, Sonic gasped. His eyes were glued to the sight of blood seeping out his body as the kit's face was still and unmoved._

 _"_ _Oh no!" he panicked with a whisper. **"Why did I have to do that Eggman when I should have been there to help him?"** he thought to himself._

 _Later, Tails coughed twice and opened his eyes halfway. His blue pupils looked at green ones, which were full of concern and fear._

 _"_ _S-Sonic…" he let out, having trouble speaking._

 _"_ _T-Tails… you're gonna be okay," Sonic stammered._

 _"_ _Sonic, I feel so cold…"_

 _"_ _You'll be fine, little buddy. I promise." As he held the fox in his arms, a question popped in his mind. "Tails? How did you get away from the robots?"_

 _Tails looked up to his friend's concerned face. "I… used my tails… to wipe out the robots who held me." He pointed his finger behind Sonic to show him the Badniks that he took down, to which the hedgehog acknowledged. "B-by the time I escaped, I s-saw Eggman was about to… about to kill you." Tails continued to struggle to get the words out. Sonic's eyes were still wide open as he soaked the fox's story in. "I wanted to p-protect you… so you'd be safe, and alive…"_

 _Sonic furrowed with anxiety building inside his guts. He was getting flashbacks of the time Tails pushed him out of a trap back at the Lost Hex. When the Deadly Six planned to trap Sonic and roboticize him, they planted a fake capsule so Sonic would be tempted to 'rescue some more animals'. Instead, Tails saw the ploy, but it was too late as the hedgehog bumped his best friend into the trap. And although the villains were unhappy at first, they changed their game plan to convert the fox into a robot. From that incident, Sonic (almost) lost his best friend forever, and he still remained guilty for putting him into danger._ _ **(4)**_

 _"_ _But, Tails… why? Why did you risk your life? It should've hit me! Not you! You weren't supposed to get hurt! I promised that to you!" Sonic complained._

 _Tails shook his head. "But I didn't want_ _ **you**_ _to die, Sonic. You need… to keep our world safe… because you've done it yourself so many times…"_

 _"_ _But it's much different without you. I didn't have anyone to fight by my side. I felt empty before I took you in. And if I lose you, who's gonna fill that empty void? I'm_ _ **nothing**_ _without you, Tails!"_

 _"_ _Please, Sonic…" Tails said weakly, his chest barely moving from his breathing. "Just know that… I appreciate everything… you've done for me… You made me found happiness, friends, and… a family. I will always love you for that, my big bro," he finished as some tears escaped from his innocent blue eyes._

 _Sonic didn't try hold back his own. Even though he hated to show his emotions, he was willing to show them for his little sibling._

 _"_ _T-Tails…" he whimpered. "I… love you, too. You've always been… an excellent sidekick. An awesome friend. A loving brother. But I really don't want you to leave me."_

 _"_ _I… I don't think… I have a choice… I'm getting weaker, Sonic. *Sniff. I really… can't…"_

 _"_ _TAILS! Please, stay with me! Keep looking at me in the eyes! Don't stop looking at me! Don't leave me!"_

 _"_ _Sonic…" The fox shut his eyes tight for a second before reopening them. "Sonic, please smile for me… I always love it… when you show it off."_

 _The hedgehog had some tears fall before listening to his request. He didn't smile out of force. He did it for Tails. That made the young cub smile back._

 _"_ _Thank you. Now, Sonic… listen. No matter what happens, I'll be with you. I'll always be in your heart. And you'll always be in mine."_

 _Sonic clenched his hand with Tails'. Keeping his sad smile intact, he responded with another loving statement._

 _"_ _Tails, I don't know what else to say, besides… I love you… And I don't think I can recover through this pain. I can't imagine a world without you."_

 _"_ _You're gonna have to move on… But again, I'll always be in here," Tails reminded him as he touched his chest right over his heart. "Just remember that, and you'll be happy."_

 _"_ _Tails…"_

 _"_ _I love you… big brother."_

 _"_ _And I love you, too, little bro…"_

 _"_ _Goodbye, Sonic… Sonic, the Hedgehog…" With that, Tails closed his eyes, his smile changed into a neutral expression, and his heart stopped beating._

 _Sonic lost the feeling in Tails' hand. It no longer had the strong connection they shared. And for Sonic, he also lost his smile because he realized that his nightmare came true._

 _What was worse than having the person who is both his best friend and brother get hurt? Having him be gone from his life._

 _"_ _Tails? Tails?!" Sonic let out more tears as they descended to his muzzle and landed on the floor. "NO! TAILS! PLEASE COME BACK! I NEED YOU!" The blue hero sounded desperate as he called his brother's name numerous times. But that didn't do anything to bring him back._

 _Neither him nor Tails expected this to occur. The bond between the two animals may be there forever, but the physical connection was lost. And Sonic hit an all time low. He never felt his heart ache like this. The emotional pain was too much to handle. All he could do was weep as he pulled the deceased kitsune into a hug. He set his head over the latter as he cried one last message._

 _"_ _Tails… I'm sorry…"_

 _…_

 _~End of flashback_

* * *

Sonic reopened his eyes as they were filled with sad feelings. His vision was blurry so he used the sleeve of his vest to wipe his tears away. However, he couldn't stop sobbing. He just wanted to lay in bed and cover his head under the pillow. This was not the best time to mourn like that though. Today was his friend's funeral, to be looked upon once more and to be properly buried as his spirit rests in heaven. The problem was that he couldn't move from his initial spot.

That is, until his pink-furred friend showed up. Amy arrived at the quiet home and knocked on the front door. After no response, she tried to enter and to her benefit, it was unlocked. She passed the lower-leveled rooms and made her way upstairs. As she reached his bedroom, she knocked softly thrice. "Sonic? Are you there?" she asked cautiously.

Sonic didn't flinch or look back as his sight focused on the window. But he did respond, emotionlessly. "Yes, come in."

Amy slowly opened and saw her friend sulking at the sill. Typically, Amy would always run into Sonic's arms and grasp him in a tight hug and he'd struggle to release from the embracement. But on this devastating occasion, she walked in silence with a mournful look. She stopped as she was five feet away from the cobalt-furred animal.

After a moment of silence, Sonic looked back and glanced at Amy. He slightly widened his eyes as he noticed her appearance. The pink hedgehog had a sleeveless black dress that flowed down to her knees. She had a set of black high heels and a yellow flower tied to the top of her head. She also carried a small, pink purse held over her right shoulder.

"H-hello, Amy…" Sonic stuttered.

Amy expressed a sad smile. "Hi, Sonic. Are you ready?"

Sonic didn't respond at first. He turned back to the window and looked at the sky. Amy sighed, but not in frustration. She understood how inconsolable Sonic was since Tails was lost in battle. She also knew it wasn't appropriate to throw a fit or look hyperactive over her hero, the one she had a crush on since they've met.

Amy missed Tails, too. Even though she has been critical to the fox for having some failed inventions or not contributing to the team as she expected, she rued the times she condemned such a young, innocent child. He was eight years old for Mobius' sake, and he was a valuable team player since he was five, as a smart, responsible pilot and mechanic. She liked to think that their relationship was a brotherly/sisterly bond, just like how Sonic and Tails formed a brotherly love for each other.

Now, they both felt like they lost a brother, but it was more hard-hitting towards Sonic given his history with the two-tailed youngster.

Sonic sighed and finally turned back to Amy. "Yeah. I'm ready. But I don't think I can handle it."

Amy slowly approached him and laid a hand on his shoulder. "It doesn't matter if you're strong enough to conceal your feelings for him. You care about Tails so much. He would want you there, to be next to him one last time. He'd do the same thing if you were in his position."

Sonic formed more tears in his eyes as he listened to Amy. Then, his next motive caught his friend off guard. He opened his arms and hugged her. Amy was surprised at Sonic, but went against saying anything when she heard more sobs from him. Instead, she rubbed his back, avoiding the blue spines that poked out from the vest.

"Shh, it's gonna be okay… You'll be okay…" she whispered into his ear.

Sonic was in denial. His mindset counteracted Amy's words. _"No, it's not going to be okay. Tails is_ _ **gone**_ _. How am I gonna be fine from_ _ **that**_ _?"_

Amy slowly pushed Sonic away from the hug and saw his emerald eyes. She recognized the sorrow that was drawn on his face. With her gloved hand, she wiped the tears that flowed down on his muzzle. Sonic blinked twice as he tried to hold back more from falling.

The two then heard an alarm coming from the clock that sat on Sonic's dresser. 10 a.m. They had to leave now.

"Come on, Sonic. We're gonna be late," Amy motioned, holding onto Sonic's arm.

Sonic looked down at what Amy did, but he didn't struggle nor try to break free. He rolled with it and nodded at her. "You're right. Let's go."

They didn't say another word as they strolled downstairs and walked out the front door. After locking up, Sonic and Amy walked down the hill and reached the train station that would take them to Station Square.

As they got on the speeding vehicle, they took their seats. Amy took out a book from her purse and read to herself. Sonic gazed out the window and focused on the white clouds that passed by through the blue sky. All he could do was think about his little brother. If only he had Tails sitting right next to him to go on another fun adventure or to sprint through the city streets. Instead, he could only think of the memories of doing those activities back when he was still alive and charismatic. And while cloud watching, Sonic could've sworn he saw a familiar figure in the sky. He also thought he heard a voice out of nowhere.

 _"_ _Sonic, please be strong for me, for Amy, and for everyone else. Be the hero like you were before you met me. Just know that I'll run with you all the time, because like I said: I'll be in your heart and you'll be in mine… Wherever the wind takes you, I'll be there too…"_

 ** _END OF CHAPTER_**

* * *

 _Here's that sad chapter on Tails' passing. My god, I'm so horrible and I still feel that way since I 'killed' Luigi. Next time, our red and blue friends will mourn and give their blessings to their loving brothers at their funerals. The question is, can both heroes overcome the sadness that plagued their hearts?_

 _Please review, follow/favorite the story, and I'll see in you Chapter 3._

* * *

 ** _Post-Chapter Notes:_**

 ** _(1):_** _Aeronautics- the art involved with the ability to fly and travel in the air. Tails can do that with his namesakes and almost any kind of dirigible. But he's more used to the Tornado throughout his whole life._

 ** _(2):_** _This was one of Sonic's main techniques in the Sonic X TV show. When he absorbs the power of a ring, he can penetrate enemies, large robots, and just about everything to save the city._

 _ **(3):**_ _Dark Sonic is a separate powerful transformation that Sonic can sustain due to the energy of fake Chaos Emeralds or, in this case,_ ** _anger_** _. In this (updated) scene, Sonic transformed into his dark form to unleash his retaliation on Tails' death as it was one of the two things that triggered him, the second one being Eggman of course. (This note was added since I decided to rewrite the scene where Tails dies because I wasn't happy with what I wrote the first time.)_

 _ **(4):**_ _(SPOILERS!) This took place in the plot of_ _Sonic Lost World_ _. Luckily, Tails didn't get roboticized by the Deadly Six, nor did he hurt Sonic. They managed to restore the world's energy back to its former beauty. Plus, the two made up for their tense arguments back when they reluctantly formed an alliance with Eggman, Orbot, and Cubot. (Was initially note #3 before the edit.)_


	4. Ch 3: Rest in Peace, Luigi

_A/N: Originally, I planned to have Luigi and Tails' funerals take place in the same chapter, but decided to split them like I did with their passings. Today we're shifting back to Mario and the others who are about to commend the man in green._

 ** _*NOTE: I edited this chapter and the first Post-Chapter Note to change the relationship between Mario, Luigi, Wario, and Waluigi. This change was denoted by NormanWhitesmith, and I decided to go by his word, even though he mentioned this months ago._**

* * *

 _Disclaimer: Mario and Sonic, as well as the other characters, are owned by Nintendo and Sega. I only own the story plot and idea._

* * *

 **Chapter 3:** Rest in Peace, Luigi

 _Location: Toad Town_

Mario slowly strolled through the town square by himself. His gaze shifted from the blue, partly cloudy sky to the brick-covered paths. He didn't look up to see anyone. His eyes were strictly planted at the ground.

Several Toads were in the background staring at the saddened man. In return, they all had faces expressed of pity, sorrow, and regret. At first, the majority of the Toads barely recognized Luigi for fighting alongside the red hero. It wasn't until after his untimely death did they realize how brave and daring he was to sacrifice his life for the main hero. But they all knew now that he was indeed one throughout his time in the Mushroom Kingdom. And unfortunately, it was too late to praise him for his heroics. All they could do is grieve for Luigi and feel sorry for Mario.

The mustached man made his way to the Mushroom Temple, several zones south of Peach's Castle. As he finally looked up, he saw everyone he knew there. Princess Peach, Princess Daisy, Professor Elvin Gadd, Colombo, Yoshi, Birdo, Toad, Toadette, Toadsworth, Donkey Kong, Diddy Kong, and even his rival counterparts Wario and Waluigi. **_(1)_** Everyone was suited up in appropriate clothes as they gathered in front of the funeral home. They all turned their attention to Mario when he walked up to them.

Princess Peach was the first to notice Mario. Normally, her royal clothes consisted of a pink sundress with a blue brooch, white gloves that went reached her upper arms and near the puffed sleeves that covered her shoulders, and a pair of pink heels. But on this occasion, she wore a black dress that went down over her knees and long sleeves extending down to her elbows, a sunhat replacing her usual royal crown, pantyhose that covered from waist to toe, and black high heels for her footwear.

When Mario stopped in front of everyone, she wasted no time but to run up to him and give him a much-needed hug. Mario barely budged as the princess wrapped her arms around him, but he returned the embracement since they both desired some comfort.

After a long wait, Peach reluctantly let go and looked down at her special one. "Good morning, Mario," she greeted sadly.

He bowed in front of her. "Morning to you, too, Peach," he replied.

Daisy was the next to approach Mario. Similar to Peach, she had the same attire, except her dress was sleeveless and she had a yellow rose attached to her sunhat. "Hello, Mario," she softly spoke.

Mario also bowed in front of the Sarasaland ruler. "Hello, Princess Daisy," he simply said.

"So… did you sleep well last night?" she awkwardly asked.

"No, I haven't," Mario sighed.

"Had another bad night?" Peach wondered.

Mario nodded. "Frankly, I tossed and turned in my bed. I had little sleep, yet again. I just couldn't stop thinking about him. And every time and I walk past his room, I just want to see him lying in his bed sleeping peacefully… But now he's sleeping elsewhere… I miss him so much."

As he trailed off from his words, a single tear escaped his eye. He quickly used the sleeve of his black suit to wipe it away and dry his face. Daisy also had a few tears fall from her face thinking about her love… Luigi… The two of them were the most crushed out of everyone. Even though Daisy wasn't a witness unlike her blonde friend, she was immediately heartbroken when Peach addressed the devastating news. They both wanted him back. For Mario, he wanted his brother; for Daisy, she wanted her special one.

Peach sympathized for her two friends. Peach also couldn't help but let out a drop. Peach and Luigi were not together as a couple, but they were great friends. She remembered the moment when he confessed his feelings for the Mushroom Kingdom princess before Daisy stepped into his life.

She felt bad for him since everyone knew she and Mario were technically an item together. To Luigi, he understood and wanted nothing else but to be happy for the both of them. And he would completely forget about being a relationship with Peach ever since she introduced him to the Sarasaland princess.

The princess always appreciated Luigi for his unselfishness for putting other people's happiness in front of his own; it reminded of her own hospitality where she desired the peaceful citizens to be happy before focusing on her own needs. Yet, she couldn't help but express empathy whenever the man in green was depressed in those situations. The furthest they became were best friends, but in a positive way. But now, they were distant with one another. Just like Mario and Daisy.

The elderly professor and the Polterpup strolled up to Mario and the princesses. Instead of wearing his traditional white lab coat, he had an undershirt covered by a black suit, a green tie, gray trousers, and brown dress shoes. Colombo still wore his red collar with the addition of a green bow attached near his name tag.

E. Gadd took the plumber's hand and held it tightly with both of his. "Sonny boy, I am deeply distraught. When I was told about his untimely passing, I had no words to describe what just happened to the young chap. I'm terribly sorry. And I miss him deeply. Such a noble, brave man, and a determined ghost hunter, too."

"Thank you for coming, Professor Gadd. I know how much Luigi meant to you ever since he went on the mansion quest to rescue me."

The professor adjusted with his glasses and sniffed slightly. He pulled out a handkerchief and wiped his eyes.

"Oh, Mario… why did he have to go so quickly? He had a bright future ahead of him, only for it to get shattered in the blink of a ghost's eye."

"I don't know, Professor. I don't know…" he replied melancholy.

Colombo whimpered sadly in front of the two. Mario picked up the Polterpup and held him tightly in his arms. Since Luigi passed away, Colombo was taken care of by the professor given his history with the ghosts of Evershade Valley. Since he was a ghost, he could possibly connect with Luigi's spirit in the afterlife. Nevertheless, to hear that his adoptive owner was gone, Colombo was inconsolable.

Yoshi walked up to his human buddy. Dressed in the same brown boots but also with a suit and blue-green tie, he nudged his nose to Mario. Yoshi whined sadly, repeating his native Yoshi language which translated into ' ** _I'm sorry, Mario. I miss my best friend, too._** '. In return, he patted the friendly dinosaur.

Birdo walked next to Yoshi as she reached for his vacant hand. The pink dinosaur's outfit consisted of a large white bow in replacement of her red one, and a gray sleeveless dress, imprinted with a floral rose pattern that went down to her shins. She spoke in her language, but also gave her regards to the fallen plumber.

Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong also approached Mario in a calm manner. The large ape wore a dark gray jacket and a red tie without his initials; the chimp, who wasn't wearing his trademark red cap, had a long-sleeved black shirt and an external vest with white and gray stripes. DK has had his own mishaps against Mario, but they've had a better relationship together than before. And Diddy was there for moral support since he had friendly rival ties with Luigi. Along with Yoshi and Birdo, they yearned for Luigi.

The three Toad retainers of the princess also gathered around the group. Toad and Toadsworth replaced their sleeveless colored vests with white-and-blue striped undershirts and dark suits. Toadette sported a small black gown and a veil above her pink mushroom top. They all had saddened looks on their faces.

Last, but not least, Wario and Waluigi were there, but the duo decided to stand on the sidelines. They each had white undershirts with ties in their respective colors, matching black suits and trousers, and brown dress shoes. Like Mario, they did not wear their signature caps.

Since they had an unfriendly rivalry with the Mario Bros., it created awkward tension whenever the two try to harass them with their tricks. But since they heard the word that Luigi passed away from his sacrifice, they were conflicted. Out of character, to say the least.

At first, they were surprised that Luigi would do such a thing since he's not known to be as courageous as Mario. Secondly, they were shocked that he _did_ such a thing that costed his own life. As much as they had fun mocking the young, fearful plumber, they wouldn't go off the ends of the earth to kill him, let alone harm him that could result in deadly consequences. They'd just pull simple, cheesy pranks to mess with his mind.

That's why they had a slight touch of sympathy for Luigi. Despite being a formidable, underrated person and the easiest to pick on, he was arguably the most mature out of all the mustachioed guys. And to have that sudden epiphany that he's gone, their lives felt _empty_. It made competitions seem worthless without having to face him in either grand prix racing, parties, or sports. They thought that it wouldn't be the same without having him as a dark horse participant. And the pranks they might pull on Mario won't give them the same satisfaction compared to fooling both brothers.

In a way, Wario and Waluigi were indifferent; sure, they disliked Luigi, but not to a hateful extent where they wanted him to die. Initially, the two thought it was a joke when they heard the green plumber suffered from something harsh; but now, it was like a boulder crushed their souls when they realized he was truly dead.

Along with the normal Mario party, they were hundreds of citizens from the Mushroom Kingdom, other royal lands, and neighboring or faraway locations where Mario had traveled to. The large crowd was composed of friendly Toads, Goombas, Koopas, Piantas, Nokis, Bob-ombs, Shy Guys, Ghosts, and other species in his world. Mario was surprised to see this many people to mourn for the green hero.

Amongst the guests were some faces that Mario barely recognized. In a congregated group, he spotted Blooey the Blooper, Jerry the Bob-omb, Torque the Buzzy Beetle, Hayzee the Dayzee, and Screamy, a white droplet entity (whose species is unknown). Mario knew those guys as Luigi's partners when he went on his own journey to rescue Princess Eclair of the Waffle Kingdom. **_(2)_**

Eventually, they all walked up to Mario and his friends. Blooey first introduced himself.

"Good morning, Mario. Morning, everybody," said the Blooper.

"Hello, guys. How's it going?" the mustached man asked.

"Life's been fair. Luckily I haven't fallen any volcanoes lately," he joked. "But in all seriousness, I'm terribly sorry for both you and your brother's loss."

"Thank you, Blooey."

"I have to be honest, I truly loathed Luigi for his clumsiness and I always swore I would get him back for making me fall in lava. However, I never got my chance, and it's too late. _Sigh_ , I was going to punish him by dragging him into water as payback. Sadly, he suffered a worse punishment. And now I regret my negative feelings toward him. I never thought Luigi would do such a courageous act…"

Mario shivered at Blooey's speech. He knew how Luigi can be for his awkwardness and that resulted in starting unnecessary fights or earning public ridicule from everyone. From that, Luigi would be bullied or embarrassed for his actions, but Mario knew that they were never done on purpose. It's not Luigi's fault if he couldn't control a sneeze or accidentally fall flat on his feet. But to hear his compassion and sorrow for his younger brother, he once again felt uncomfortable to reminisce the time Luigi pushed him out of the death ray's path.

"As I was saying, I'm deeply sorry to hear about the news," continued the tan Blooper. "Everyone else has heard about it and were completely shocked and saddened."

"It's true," Hayzee replied. "He's been under the radar so many times that I was hoping he'd get the spotlight of the show. But I never thought the light would shine down on him after performing such a thing for his role. He's better as a fighter than an actor. I know that from experience."

"It was horrid enough to see your brother wear a dress to act as a sacrifice for a snake in our journey. But to hear him actually _be_ a sacrifice to spare your life, the man has some tough guts. He went out KER-BLOOEY, you know?" commented Jerry.

"He always had the determination in eyes every time I saw him race in your Mario Kart tournaments. He may be a screw-up at times, but I've seen him bounce back numerous times to take the gold. And I can never get the death stare out of my mind," replied Torque.

"As much I didn't learn more about him throughout our time during his quest, I always looked up to Luigi as a caring man. He sure had his heart set for Princess Eclair before realizing the trap played by the Chestnut King. And to have it broken when he found out the ploy, he accepted it. Because he only cared about other people's feelings over his," commended Screamy.

"And that's who Luigi truly is: a kind, considerate man. Clumsy, but considerate," concluded Blooey.

Mario closed his eyes and breathed in deeply after listening to his brother's allies. Their speeches made him miss Luigi even more. But he was happy to know that there are people who knew and cared for the younger hero, even though they all disliked him initially.

"Are you alright, Mario?" Peach worriedly asked.

Mario still had his eyes shut. As he opened them, they looked red and watery. He used his sleeve to dry them again. He slightly choked as he let out a small breath. Then he covered his mouth with his gloved hand, indicating that he wasn't able to answer without having another emotional breakdown.

Peach placed her hands above Mario's shoulders and rubbed them gently. "Please, Mario. Luigi would want you to be strong. For him."

Mario sniffed once as he casted his head down. After taking a deep breath and wiped away the tears that started to fall, he looked at everyone who gave him sympathetic looks, with the exception of Wario and Waluigi.

"Let's get this over with," he stated.

Conveniently, a Toad priest opened the temple doors with a solemn appearance. "Citizens of the Mushroom Kingdom and other realms, you may now enter the building. Please form a single file line and fill up every available spot. Everyone else is subjected to standing on the side aisles as we begin the eulogy."

Mario nodded at everyone to assure that he'll try to keep his emotions concealed. However, the gang was worried about his current state. A band of Toads stood in front of the doors and handed every single person an awareness ribbon. The accessory was green with white letters imprinted across the front that read 'RIP Luigi, A True Hero'.

Yoshi, Birdo, Donkey Kong, Diddy, and the Toads were the first to head inside. E. Gadd, Colombo, Daisy, Peach, and Mario followed pursuit. Before Mario entered the building, he was stopped when a hand was placed on his shoulder. What surprised him was that it was Wario's.

The short, fat man stared at the man with the red tie for a few seconds before shifting his head down and grunted in disappointment. And for the first time today, and probably in their history together, he said something that Mario never would have thought of in a million years.

"I'm sorry, Mario. I miss Luigi as much as you do," he said in an uncomfortable manner. Waluigi closed his eyes and turned his head slightly. He, too, was unsettled with the loss of Luigi despite being one of his main adversaries. But he refused to say anything. Mario nodded back and the three made their way inside.

* * *

The plumber walked down the center aisle with benches set up on the left and right. He saw his friends pile up in the front two rows. The dinosaurs and primates sat on the left, who were later accompanied by all five of Luigi's former partners. Mario saw Peach, Daisy, the professor with the Polterpup in his lap, and the Toads sitting on the right bench and scooched his way to the middle as Wario and Waluigi filled the remaining space, sitting near the aisle. The other guests filled up the benches one by one until every single spot was taken. The rest took up the walkways on both sides of the room.

Looking up to the front of the funeral home, everyone saw the coffin that Mario's brother was lying in. The deceased was redressed in a new set of his usual attire: a long-sleeved green shirt, dark blue overalls, brown work shoes, and his most prized article of clothing, his green hat with a large 'L'. As much as Mario wanted to keep his bro's hat as a memory, he changed his mind thinking that his possession should be buried with him since it has so much sentiment to Luigi, similar to Mario and his own red cap.

As everyone settled in with their green ribbons, the priest began his speech in front of the podium placed to the left of Luigi's coffin.

"Thank you everyone for coming here today. As you may know, we are gathered to give our regards to a noble gentleman who gave up his own life to save another. In fact, he saved a lot of people's lives. He did what he could to protect the Mushroom Kingdom from falling under the hands of the evil Koopa King. But, we all knew it cost him the most valuable thing on the planet: his living spirit."

After the Toad minister talked for several more minutes, he shifted his gaze specifically to Mario. Noticing the priest's indication, the mustached man stood up from his spot and walked up to the podium. The Toad bowed to him and laid his hand on his arm, assuring him to remain confident and focused as he delivered his eulogy. Mario nodded to him as the priest headed down to the bench where Yoshi and the rest of Mario's friends were.

Mario looked to his left and viewed the large painting of his younger sibling, sitting on a fancy easel close to the coffin. Taking out a piece of paper from inside his jacket, he cleared his throat and delivered his long panegyric.

"Luigi Mario. He was my baby brother throughout my entire life. We have always stuck together as a family whenever one of us wasn't kidnapped or in trouble. Before we transported from our original home in Brooklyn to the Mushroom Kingdom, Luigi and I were simply plumbers, yet strangers to this area. We later found out that we were the destined heroes to rescue Princess Peach from Bowser so that she could restore the curse he planted on the kingdom…

"After rescuing her, the two of us became accustomed to the Toad population and the humble citizens from other places we've visited. We made a lot of good friends from our adventures. And whenever Luigi was by my side, I knew that he was a hero, no matter what. The only problem was that he didn't receive the recognition he deserved. The sad part is that he didn't mind or he got jealous. Because all he got was belittlement that he's just a sidekick or a scaredy-cat. Well if you thought of him like that in the first place, you're wrong…

"What Luigi has done to the community is offer his own help to make everyone else happy. He isn't selfish or greedy to satisfy his desires. He puts everyone else in front of him to show the kind of person he is. And when he goes into battle, sometimes he shows off his courageous side and strength to protect this kingdom. But did anyone recognize him initially? Not particularly. Most of you only praised or focused on me and me only. And that's what upsets not just Luigi, but me as well…

"From what happened last week, you suddenly realize why he was destined as one of the heroes and protectors of this land. It's hard work to protect a kingdom and a fair ruler with just two people, one of whom is deemed to be weak and scared of everything. But he didn't express any fear when he pushed me out of the death ray that _should have_ killed me…"

Mario paused from his speech as he closed his eyes and tilted his head down. Peach held a handkerchief tightly in her hands as some tears threatened to fall. She hated to see Mario look distraught, especially since he blamed himself for losing Luigi when she knew it was never his fault. Because Luigi made a bold choice to save him.

After taking a few deep breaths and seeing most of his friends feeling emotional, he resumed speaking.

"Luigi… Never in a million years would I thought he'd sacrificed his life for everyone here, including myself since I was initially the victim. And when I saw him in his broken state, I lost it. The strong feeling and bond that we've shared for 26 years is now broken. But it's still here, floating around. I feel like his soul, his angel, is standing right next to me," he explained as he looked at the painting once more.

"If he was right beside me, the first thing I want to do is thank him personally once again. I want to appreciate him for being the best brother I could ever had. The best partner who has fought with me for years. The best hero for doing something that I probably couldn't…

"Since the tragedy, I couldn't sleep properly. I toss and turn in bed every night thinking about him. Whenever I entered his bedroom, I wanted to see him with the big smile of his. I wanted to have another peaceful conversation with him, to hear his calm, gentle voice. He was always a great listener to my words, and I'd always be there for him whenever he felt alone or depressed. If he needed a hand, I'd offered mine. I wish I could do it back when we were fighting in the castle…"

Mario gripped his hands on the podium more fiercely than before.

"Now, here we are, standing and sitting in here to praise Luigi for his heroics. And to see this many people here to give your regards to my little bro, I want to thank every single one of you. I have received multiple letters, telegrams, and personal greetings from you guys sending your thoughts and prayers to him. I'm sincerely happy that you showed respect to Luigi, to give him credit to where it's due, for what's he done for our world. I appreciate your support as me and my friends are coping through this tough loss…

"Professor Gadd, Colombo, Yoshi, and Princess Peach have been some of Luigi's best friends. Professor Gadd, for helping and supporting Luigi to confront his fear of ghosts and drive his determination to rescue me from King Boo twice. Colombo, for being his amiable adopted pet since Luigi restored the Dark Moon. Yoshi, for being a friendly partner to form a dynamic green duo. And Peach, for sharing a strong, loving heart and being compassionate whenever he accompanied me, and made her feel better from his benevolent demeanor…

"As for Daisy, she was a key figure, too. She was the love of his life. I was proud of the two of them whenever they shared a strong relationship. I want to thank her for making my brother feel less isolated and happier than before…"

The five whom were mentioned in Mario's speech each had tears in their eyes, which caused others nearby to cry as well. Wario and Waluigi tried their best not to join the emotional parade, but they faced the music as many negative feelings started to roam in their veins.

"To everyone else who have joined Luigi's adventures or met him in person, I want to thank you guys again for showing your respect for coming here to properly thank him for what he has contributed to the Mushroom Kingdom, the princesses, the many citizens, and more."

Mario looked up to the ceiling, hopefully calling out to a certain someone.

"And to Luigi, if you could hear me right now, I want to commend you once more for being a true hero, for being brave for what you've done. I pray to Grambi that he accepted you into the Overthere and not in the world of ended games. Because you deserve to rest in a peaceful haven for the sacrifice you made. I made a promise to look out after you so you could be happy. I'm very sorry that I broke it, and I beg for your forgiveness. Please look out after me and everyone. Please guide us so we can live in happiness. And most importantly, thank you for being my brother."

Mario returned his attention to the hundreds of visitors who stood and sat in his view. But his vision was blurry as his eyes were filled with hot tears.

"Now, I would like to ask everyone if you could join me in a moment of silence…"

And so they did. Everyone tilted their heads forward, closed their eyes, and sent their thoughts and prayers once again to the man in green. His body may be laying in the coffin found at the front and center of the temple, but his spirit from above was gaining the love and support he never thought he earned.

The entire building was in repose for a whole minute. When Mario thought that was enough time, he reopened his eyes and bowed in front of the podium.

"Thank you," he responded with a crack in his voice.

He stepped down from the stage and rejoined his friends and cousins on the bench. As he took his seat, Wario looked at him with a face of reassurance. He didn't say anything, but his face expressed a statement. A positive one that read ' ** _You did a good job._** '

Mario nodded to him as his 'thank-you' response. He looked to his right and noticed Peach and Daisy with tears dropping down their faces. Mario also saw E. Gadd whose hands were placed firmly on top of Colombo as the two stared at the coffin. He deeply sighed as he felt helpless to recover their broken hearts.

All of his friends, Luigi's companions, and the numerous guests who attended the funeral had the same feeling of compassion and sorrow towards the deceased man in green. They thought his game ended too quickly, too soon. They wished they could bring the man back to life, but not even the many 1-Up Mushrooms could revive him. Bowser's death ray proved to be powerful enough to kill someone. Alas, that casualty had to be Luigi. After 26 young, aspiring years, his life came to a sudden end. May his loving soul rest in peace… ** _(3)_**

 ** _END OF CHAPTER_**

* * *

 _Goodness, this was_ _ **not**_ _an easy chapter to write. I may have gotten that out of the way, but I still have to go back to Tails in the next one. So yes, Luigi is officially commended for his actions and he will no longer be with us… will he?_

 _I hope I did well writing Mario's eulogy to his brother. If there are any concerns with it, please leave a review or PM me, and I'll look over your feedback._

 _As always, thanks for reading and I'll see in Chapter 4 for Tails' funeral._

* * *

 ** _Post-Chapter Notes:_**

 _ **(1):** Even though this story and __Hidden Bravery_ _are NOT in the same timeline or universe, I decided to add E. Gadd and the Polterpup, Colombo, in this chapter. The Polterpup's name is the same as the one I gave him in my first fanfiction._

 _*I originally wrote under the impression that Wario and Waluigi were related to Mario and Luigi as cousins, but went against after looking back at this chapter. So, under NormanWhitesmith's statement, I changed their relationship as 'unfriendly rivals'._

 _ **(2):** In __Paper Mario: TTYD_ _, Luigi had his own adventure to collect broken pieces of a compass to rescue Princess Eclair. The five characters were Luigi's cohorts who had strong, negative feelings for him for exaggerating his stories on how his journey went and when they were the real witnesses and knew what went wrong. Regardless, they helped Luigi in his quest and became (somewhat) decent friends with him. I wanted to include these guys as an Easter Egg._

 _ **(3):** To explain this situation, even if Luigi was admitted to Dr. Toadley (the famous doctor in Toad Town), it would be useless since the impact was devastatingly strong to end someone's life. Luigi took the blow and would be unable to recover, even if he was treated with 1-Up Mushrooms for revival. I know this doesn't make sense, but I will remind you that this is __**my**_ _storyline. I've already planned for Luigi to be dead as much as I hate to say that._

 _This was not mentioned in the plot, but Mario did get tended by the doctor after sustaining those injuries against Bowser. Since he didn't get hurt by the laser, his injuries were healed already. With that, Mario's okay physically, but not emotionally. And you know why. If you don't, you should read Chapter 1._

 _~RIP Luigi (in FanFiction)_


	5. Ch 4: Rest in Peace, Tails

_A/N:_ _ **Sigh**... __Here we go. The next moment you all probably didn't want to see. It's time for Tails' funeral. Also, sorry it took another month to write this as I was focusing on Hidden Bravery and college._

* * *

 _Disclaimer: __I don't own anything but the story plot._

* * *

 **Chapter 4:** Rest in Peace, Tails

 _Location: Station Square_

 _"_ _Now arriving at SS Central Station. Please take your belongings as you exit. Thank you for cooperation."_

After Sonic, Amy, and the remaining riders listened to the usual departure message, they got off the train and made their way to the outside of the station. The two hedgehogs walked down the steps as they approached the sidewalk, witnessing the many citizens strolling through the city as taxicabs, trucks, and various cars roamed the streets of Station Square.

"Come on, Sonic. It's this way and a couple blocks down the street."

The blue hedgehog simply nodded and huffed out a soft sigh. Amy looked back at her friend with a face of sorrow. As she led the way, Sonic dug his gloved hands inside the pockets of his vest. His eyes glued to the dress shoes he was wearing as he followed his pink companion. Not even once did he look up to see what was ahead of him, nor did he pay attention to his surroundings. At one point, he passed Amy from the side and was about to reach a crosswalk before he almost got hit by a taxi. It took a quick tug by her to avoid him getting hurt.

"Sonic! Aren't you paying attention? The pedestrian signal did not change to 'WALK'. You could've been hurt!"

"Sorry, Amy."

"Sonic, you're starting to lose focus. I'm sorry I had to yell at you, but I don't want to see you injured or even worse."

"Heh, I didn't think you cared _that_ much about me," he joked.

Amy gave him an uncomfortable glare. "Sonic, I'm being serious. When I visited your house three days ago, I caught you holding a knife to your wrist. _A knife_. I was about to faint from what I witnessed."

Sonic's small smirk faded into a deep frown. "I was just…"

"Don't say it, Sonic. I was terrified when you would go that deep to join him in the afterlife. Just because you were depressed, that doesn't mean you should torture yourself. I hate saying this to you, but it's not the end of the world."

He slightly narrowed his eyes. "Amy, I let him get killed in front of me. And what did I do to help him? Nothing. I didn't help him. I just let him die in my arms after I took my anger out on Eggman, mostly because he deserved some harsh treatment. I'm the reason why he suffered. And for him to perish at such at a young age after what the poor guy's been through, it isn't fair."

Amy maintained her glare and serious tone. "You experienced the same fate as him when you were his age. And what did you do about it? You became a hero. You became tough, strong, determined, brave, and caring when you made it a choice to fight Eggman. And you passed those traits down to your best friend who became your fighting partner. Sonic, you've done so much to make him happy. You gave him a home, a reason to stay alive, friends, and a family. He would be proud of what you shaped him to be. And in the end, he took pride to always support you until the end. What he did back then was his decision. He wanted to save you because you were defenseless at the moment. You were not the reason he died."

"Yes, it is," Sonic muttered. "I just stood there defenseless and I was too slow to rescue him. I'm Sonic. The fastest, fucking hedgehog out there. With my speed, I should've saved him! Yet I couldn't because I was too weak."

"You are not weak. And again, it wasn't your fault."

"Says you."

"Sonic…"

"TAILS DIED BECAUSE OF ME!"

His loud remark caught everyone's attention. People on the sidewalk, in their vehicles, at the park, or at the intersection close to them heard rage coming from the blue-quilled animal. Amy grasped his arm forcefully and pulled him away from the public. As Sonic struggled from the pink hedgehog's grip, she ignored every tug and grunt from him as she secluded him into a bathroom of the nearest diner. Avoiding the attention of the confused citizens, Amy quickly locked the door and turned to face Sonic with another scowl. Before she could say anything though, she looked at the downhearted hedgehog whose gaze was planted at the tiled floor with a pitiful frown.

Amy carefully approached him and placed her hands on his shoulders. "Sonic, please look at me."

Slowly but surely, the male hedgehog lifted his head with sad green eyes. He sighed heavily. "I'm sorry, Amy. I just haven't been myself for the past week. I've lost my train of thought. I've lost my passion to run. I haven't eaten regularly. Everything just went downhill since…" He slightly stumbled on his words. "…Since he was gone." Tears threatened to fall again, but he did his best to hold back.

Amy closed her eyes and tilted her head down. She brought it back up when she had some words to say. "Sonic, I'm deeply sorry for you. I know it's hard to lose a close friend, especially since he's your sidekick and little brother." Sonic winced, but she continued. "I understand that it's tough to overcome this distress. But the only way to do so is to stop blaming yourself for the loss. What Tails did back then was his choice. His choice to let you survive and prevent you from getting hurt."

"But _I'm_ supposed to be the one to protect him."

"You both had the responsibility to take care of one another. You guys were brothers. It's not whether you're the oldest, the tallest, or the smartest to be the one in charge of the other. Both of you had the heart to look out for each other. That's what family is. And it couldn't be better expressed than brotherhood. Well, based on what I've seen from you two."

Sonic couldn't subdue a small chuckle from Amy's comment, which made her smile. She was right; their relationship as a family was brotherhood. Overall, they were the best of friends and one of the most popular dynamic duos since he took Tails in as a fighting companion.

"Ever since you raised him, he has been looking out for you to make sure you were safe. That shows how loyal he was to you. You should appreciate that, even though the result was costly. Nevertheless, don't let his incident die in vain. He wouldn't accept your negative behavior. He would want to see you smile. It's the one thing he always liked about you, as well as everyone else."

Sonic smirked a little. "It is contagious, isn't it?"

"Even with the stupidest grin, you always know how to put people in a good mood," she laughed.

"Hey, it's not stupid," he retorted playfully.

"It is to me," she taunted back.

Sonic curved his lips higher than before, which reassured both himself and Amy.

"Feeling better?"

He shrugged. "A little. But better than I was five minutes ago. Thanks, Ames," he referred her with that special nickname.

"You're welcome, Sonic."

The two shared a hug for a short while before a notification sound popped up from Sonic's wrist communicator, the one Tails made for him... They pulled back from each other and he read the digital message that was sent from Knuckles.

"Aw, shoot. Knuckles texted me that we're gonna be late."

"Oh, you're right! Come on, we better get going."

The two left the diner as they ran towards their destination. For the first time in seven days, Sonic ran. Unfortunately, it was not to alleviate stress or because he felt like it. He ran to honor his best friend.

* * *

It was a close call, but Sonic and Amy made it to Station Square's Funeral Home. It was not the best place to be on such a warm, sunny day in the city. But for this occasion, it was necessary as the Sonic team lost a valuable member. Outside of the building stood their friends. Knuckles the Echidna, dressed in a white buttoned undershirt and a black vest, was the first to approach them.

"Damn, you barely made it time. I was actually getting worried that you weren't gonna be here."

"Hey, you're talking to the fastest thing alive!" replied Sonic. "And when was the last time you ever got worried?"

"Hey, this is serious. We're talking about you almost missing the beginning of you-know-what. It'd be a shame if you weren't here on time."

"Sorry, Knuckles. We just had a slight dilemma with traffic and… personal reasons. The important thing is that we made it," explained Amy.

"Lucky for you two, the pastor hasn't permitted anyone inside yet as they're finishing the final preparations for the memorial."

Sonic took in a deep breath. In a matter of minutes, he would be the one to address a homage to his fallen brother. Deep inside, he was all the things he normally wasn't: nervous, tense, and depressed. He never thought he would be giving a speech to praise Tails after a fatal incident. And the fact that he passed away at eight years old made him sick to his stomach. The opportunities for him to explore new places around the world, to grow up and mature himself, to create useful inventions to help his friends or signify his intelligence, and to spend more time with his older, loving brother were now unachievable. If only he didn't leave him alone. If only he didn't leave so quickly…

As they continued waiting, Cream the Rabbit, accompanied her Chao friend, Cheese, and her mother, Vanilla, approached him to talk. The young female had a sleeveless dark blue dress, a white cravat in place of her light blue one, brown high heels, and a yellow daisy attached to her left half in front of her heart.

"Good morning, Mr. Sonic," she politely greeted. Her soft voice expressed anything but delight, which was uncharacteristic of her. But given the situation, it was understandable why.

"Hello, Cream. How are you holding up?"

She sighed. "Okay, I guess. But, I couldn't believe it. When my mother heard the news, she looked very sad and frightened. She held the secret from me until she thought it was time. And when I heard those words, I was in denial. I ran up to my room, buried my head in my blanket and pillow, and cried myself to sleep. Why did Tails have to go, Mr. Sonic?" she wept with grief. Tears poured from the child's eyes that it made Sonic feel very uncomfortable, yet sympathetic. He knew how much his best friend meant to Cream. And his death didn't just affect him heavily. It crushed the rabbit's heart to pieces.

Sonic walked over to his crying friend and hugged her. She took in the embrace and wrapped her arms around his jacket. He didn't say a word as Cream continued to cry over his shoulder. Instead, he closed his eyes and tried his best not to let any more tears fall from his own face. He already had enough in front of Amy. He certainly didn't want to spill his feelings in front of everyone else. Regardless, the emotional pain ate him up on the inside.

His other friends were witnessing the scene in front of them, avoiding to say a word to disrupt their sadness. Alongside Knuckles, Cheese, and Vanilla, the gang of Shadow, Rouge, Silver, Blaze, Vector, Espio, and Charmy stood silently in front of the funeral home. Even most of Mobius' population came by to pay their respects and wishes to Sonic. Beforehand, they used to belittle and bully the young kitsune by labeling him as a freak, the one word that scarred Tails' life. But ever since Sonic raised him and became his trusty sidekick, they came to realize that he was gifted for his double appendages. Since then, he became well-known and loved by the city, just how Sonic grew up when he became the hero to defeat Robotnik.

Going back to the Sonic team, the males were dressed in dark-colored vests and black shoes while the girls wore in black dresses and high heels for the occasion. Silver and Blaze were visibly upset at Tails' loss. They were good friends with him, Sonic, Amy, and Cream so they understood how tough it was to deal with the death of a close friend. Rouge may not know have known Tails as much as his main peers, but she had a soft spot for the young, genius fox. The Chaotix looked dignified, yet they were all saddened when they heard that the poor kit left everybody. Lastly, Shadow may not have shown much respect to the two-tailed creature and wasn't exactly best friends with him, but it took some convincing to attend the funeral since they have met with each other. He stood there with his arms crossed over his black blazer, eyes closed and head shifted downward, as the slightest amount of empathy crossed his negative thoughts within his mind.

By that time, the priest, an adult rhino with a black coat and white undershirt, allowed entry to all the guests. As Sonic gulped, Amy reassured the Blue Blur by placing her hand on his shoulder and nodded, indicating she was going to be there for him. Sonic nodded back, thanking her for comfort.

The hundreds of guests entered the building and were given yellow awareness ribbons. They took their seats on the benches while the remaining people stood from behind or on the side of the interior. The first two rows were occupied by all of Sonic's friends, including the blue hedgehog who sat on the aisle seat. Directly in front of him was a sight he wished he never saw. Ten feet in front of him was Tails, lying peacefully in small, wood-crafted casket. To the left was an image of the smiling kitsune. The hedgehog dropped a bead of sweat and inhaled deeply as the display of his best friend filled his stomach with butterflies. He tried his best to maintain his composure as the priest stood in front of the podium, ready to begin the funeral.

"Good morning, ladies and gentlemen. Thank you all for coming here today on this occasion. Sadly, as you all know, we lost a hero today. A young, innocent, yet brave individual who came into this world with a distinct trait. Although we have given him ridicule for his defect, we came to learn and love the fox who was raised and developed into a heroic citizen for helping protect our city. We owe him our gratitude and an apology for the way we treated this person when he did nothing wrong to us. Miles 'Tails' Prower sadly passed away during a fight against Dr. Eggman. He sacrificed himself to save our blue hero and the animals who were captured."

The priest continued for another few minutes before handing the torch to Sonic. Getting up from his seat, he walked up to the stand and positioned the microphone to his face.

"Hello guys. Well, I must start off by saying thanks again for coming here today. We appreciate you guys to support us for the tragic loss we've faced. I'm not one who's okay with showing off my emotions, but this is one of the few incidents where I'll come out to express my thoughts and how I'm feeling…

"Let me go back to the beginning. I was about eleven years old. I was traveling to many places to relax for vacation after I took down Robotnik my first time through Green Hill. I arrived at Westside Island one day when my biplane's engine was out of shape. Since I was forced to land, I knew I had to find a mechanic or anything to help me mend my ride home. Just when I thought my luck was bad enough that there wasn't a single repair shop open at the time, at least I managed to grab some of my favorite food and met a ton of people who instantly recognized for my actions against the doctor. They all seemed kind to me mostly because they admired me, but they didn't have the same affection to someone else who lived in that damn place…

"I came across three guys torturing a young, yellow two-tailed fox. I don't condone violence, but sometimes I have to cross the line to teach some people a lesson. They were beating him up, kicking him, calling him names… especially the work 'freak'. That word and all of those times he got bullied, the poor kid was traumatized. I had to beat those bullies to leave him alone. And once they ran off, I turned to the little guy and he continued to protect himself, probably because he thought I was going to hurt him. But I didn't. I asked him if he was okay, and when he looked at me with those blue eyes, I stared at him back with the sincerest smile I could show. I felt sorry for him. He was bullied which is something I used to deal with back when I was an orphan and before people respected when I became a hero…

"We talked for a long time as I shared my chili dogs with him. I learned so much about him that it shocked me. He was living in the wild for almost his entire life after his own parents were killed and roboticized by Eggman. Whenever he tried to ask for food, he couldn't pay for it because he didn't have money. And if he did have some, they would reject him because of his two tails. He would be forced to dig through garbage and find scraps of food to survive while trying to avoid the bullies who kept hurting him. As he continued to describe his cursed childhood, he cried into my shoulder as I comforted him. It was probably the most appropriate thing I could do. I didn't shove him away, I didn't speak, I just let him do what he wanted: to have someone listen to him. And after hearing the agony he suffered from, it made me angry that people would have the audacity to pin him as someone who doesn't deserve to live. Well, those jerks were wrong…"

"He was gifted with his two tails. I found interest in them when I first saw them, and that's where I gave him a nickname. Since he hated his original name, I called him 'Tails' because it was significant to him. It was the reason he learned how to fly by himself. He surprised both me and himself when he took flight. And there was so much more that I learned from him. He was interested in airplanes, mechanics, building tools, and almost anything any four-year old kid would be fascinated with. And he gave me the biggest surprise from those traits. When I was asleep that night, he managed to search through my old toolbox and fix my plane's engine. Once I woke up the next morning, he showed me that he polished my aircraft. He even gave it a new paint job! Albeit, he did take my money to pay for it, and I wasn't aware of it until he told me. But I was too astonished to even care. Tails truly amazed me with his work. And that's when I thought of something else. Since he doesn't have anyone to look out after him, I became his adoptive older brother. I've never seen him so happy since I helped him and he became thrilled to join me. For the next few years, we were the best of friends and one happy family even with just the two of us. I had a little brother, he had an older brother, and we watched over each other whenever I took him on every adventure or battle we encountered." _**(1)**_

Sonic had a smile when he mentioned his fond moment meeting and befriending Tails. The trip down memory lane even made his eyes water up even though the tears didn't fall. However, his smile converted to a neutral frown as prepared his next part of his eulogy.

"We spent almost four years together and I was wondering how he'd fare as we grew up. I'd always thought we would spend time with each other for years to come until we grow gray and old. At the very least, I didn't want him to the first one gone because I swore to myself that he should live a healthy, normal life after his first four years were a living hell to him…

"Unfortunately, my promise was broken when he jumped in front of Eggman's death ray and… saved me from dying. It was so unexpected and in the heat of the moment that it made me speechless. And because Eggman couldn't care less about Tails, that drove me over the edge. After dealing my personal business, I turned back to my brother and went through an emotional roller coaster when I came to realize that he was dead. I didn't want to believe it, I didn't want it to happen, but it did. And I've never been so heartbroken since my parents were gone. Because he was the closest person I ever bonded with in my life. He was literally my second family…"

"When I introduced him to everyone else I met in my adventures, they were supportive of him, too. We made him more comfortable when we're around him. And I'm happy that they care about him, even if they don't admit it…"

Shadow winced at Sonic's comment. It was true. He may not show his feelings about Tails, but he is technically his friend despite his unamiable behavior. As for everyone else, Amy, Cream, and everyone had different feelings. The girls had tears flowing from their eyes with handkerchiefs in their hands while the guys were taciturn as they listened to the cobalt hedgehog.

"And now, I would like to wrap up my speech to my best friend and brother. Tails, I'm sorry I failed to protect you. What you did back then not only made me surprised and inconsolable, but amazed at your courage. I knew that you would be a great fighting partner. I just hope that you'll rest in peace, but also be by my side in spirit. If I ever have the chance to run again, I would like to think that you're beside me like you've always have whenever we raced through the hills, city, and every other place we've visited. Just stay strong, buddy, and I'll try to do the same. And to everyone who made here, I'd like to thank you again for showing your support as we came here to grieve for a hero and a loving family member. I would like everyone to join me in a moment of silence…"

Each of Sonic's friends and every funeral guest bowed their heads together as their thoughts and prayers were sent to the heavens above. It took a full minute of silence to pay their respects. A few sniffs and sobs were heard from inside the temple. Nonetheless, everyone was respectful for this sad moment.

Sonic opened his eyes and finished his time at the podium. "Thank you very much."

He returned to his original seat next to Amy on the front bench. Quietly, she placed her hand above Sonic's, resting above his legs. He shifted a small gaze towards the pink hedgehog and nodded with a sad smile. She returned the look with a hint of sorrow. His green eyes went back to the floor as he remained silent for the remainder of the funeral. All he could hope was that Tails was okay up there. He may not be with him physically, but his soul was probably floating next to him. It still seemed surreal to him that he was truly gone, and at such a young age, too. It took one deadly hit from Eggman's gun to perish someone's life. And Tails was the one to get hurt because he sacrificed his body to save his best friend and older brother. He was eight years old with a bright future ahead of him. But after all that, the only thing Sonic could do was to move on from the tragedy. That alone, however, was tough to deal with. ** _(2)_**

 _"May you rest in peace, pal. No matter what else happens, I'll always love you, little bro…"_

 ** _END OF CHAPTER_**

* * *

 _The funeral chapters have come to end, thank goodness. It was another tough piece to write, but I pulled through. But can Sonic do the same in regards to losing his closest companion?_ _On the next chapter of New Brotherhood, we'll fast forward another week where our main characters find themselves in some strange situations, leading to their paths to cross over…_

 _Please review, follow/favorite, and see you guys next time._

* * *

 ** _Post-Chapter Notes:_**

 ** _(1):_** _I would consider this as the extended explanation to how Sonic and Tails met each other for the first time. I did a one-shot attempt and summarized it in the prologue, but I wanted to go into depth of their history for this specific moment._

 ** _(2):_** _Just like Luigi's fate, even if Tails was admitted to a hospital, it would be ineffective. The death ray was powerful enough to kill someone. Tails took the fall and it costed his life. Sadly, he's gone… For now…_

 _~RIP Tails (in FanFiction)_


	6. Ch 5: Interrupted by Chaos

_A/N:_ _I'm sorry it took me two months to get back to this story, but I decided to write and post one more chapter before I leave for vacation. For those following Hidden Bravery, that story will resume on the 26th or in July. This story will be on hiatus again because I don't have a regular upload schedule. But I'll try to write a chapter for every two weeks or so, just to be consistent. However, that will have to wait until maybe mid-July. Thanks for being patient, and I hope you enjoy this one._

* * *

 _Disclaimer:_ _I don't own Mario or Sonic. Never have, probably never will._

* * *

 **Chapter 5:** Interrupted by Chaos

 _Location: Mystic Ruins_

Another week had passed since the memorial. Just a fair walking distance away from the train station, the blue hedgehog stood in the middle of a grassy plain where a lonely tombstone was found. This was the spot where a young, yellow and white fox laid in peace.

Even though the funeral was held in Station Square, Sonic wanted his body to be buried near his home to visit his best friend. He didn't feel like traveling that far, even though he could've ran to the city's cemetery in just a couple of minutes. But his lack of motivation prevented him. And thus, Tails' carcass was buried in the Mystic Ruins.

Sonic, back in his traditional gloves, socks, and red shoes, had his hands clenched on both sides as he stared at the statue of his fox friend. The stone sculpture had Tails in a standing pose with a hand placed on his left hip, an extended right arm showing a thumb-up gesture, and a large grin on the muzzle. An epitaph was shown on the base of the monument:

 _Here lies Miles 'Tails' Prower,_

 _Honorary Sidekick, Best Friend, and Little Brother of Sonic the Hedgehog,_

 _May his young, caring heart look after Mobius._

 _R.I.P._

His eyes started to water up, but Sonic refused to cry again. The last time he did was after the funeral. Even though he would do it for Tails' untimely demise, he held himself back from breaking down even more. The poor hedgehog hasn't been himself since the incident. And considering he was on the verge of suicide goes to show that he couldn't think straight. Even he admitted he's having problems despite holding his secrets from his pride. Yet, he seemed to have calmed down with the company of Amy and Cream.

Speaking of the pink hedgehog and the cream-furred rabbit, the two girls visited the Mystic Ruins where they saw their blue friend standing in front of the Tails statue. Cheese floated near Cream as they approached him.

"I don't want to interrupt Mr. Sonic from what he's doing," the rabbit whispered to her friend.

"It's okay, Cream. We can wait until he's finished."

Sonic barely heard them from behind and gave one last prayer before turning to them. He showed off a weak smile. "Hey, Amy. Hi, Cream. Cheese."

"Good morning, Mr. Sonic."

"How are you feeling?"

"Okay, I suppose," Sonic shrugged. "I appreciate you guys coming here every day. I can understand why you're here, Cream."

"Do you mind if I can make another prayer?"

"I won't argue with that, and I'm sure Tails wouldn't either."

Cream smiled innocently and gave Sonic a hug before she stood in front of the tombstone. Sonic walked up to Amy who had an uncertain look on her face.

"Something wrong?"

"Oh, it's nothing. I was checking up on you again." It's true. She visited Sonic every day with Cream and Cheese. Cream would always send her wishes to Tails just like the older brother. Amy would talk to Sonic as an act of consolation.

"I've been better. I've kept away from… you know."

She sighed heavily. "That's something, at least. As long as you're staying strong, Tails will be smiling down on you."

He shifted his head back to the statue, staring at his friend's face. He closed his eyes and thought to himself.

 _"No matter what happens, I'll stay strong for you, buddy. I bet you're mad at me for nearly cutting myself. I'm actually thankful Amy stopped me from doing so. I was making a dumb decision. That's not the first time I've almost done something stupid. Then again, I've made plenty of bad decisions and look how they ended up. But this time, I'll be smart enough to keep on going. I just don't feel like running or doing anything right now. Maybe I'll wait a day or two to compose myself. And hopefully, just maybe, I'll be running next to you again, Tails."_

Amy placed a hand on his shoulder and rubbed it. Cream and Cheese returned to her friends. The young bunny looked at Sonic with a worried face.

"Mr. Sonic? Are you okay?"

Said hedgehog reopened his eyes and looked at Cream. He gave her a small smile. "I'm okay. Just thinking." Cream wasn't so sure as much as she wanted to believe him. "Honest, Cream. I appreciate you for caring. It's… I mean, I was thinking like I said earlier."

Cream took this moment to give him another hug. Sonic accepted the warming embrace. Amy smiled and decided to join, which prompted Cheese to also partake in the group huddle.

It was a heartwarming moment for the Mobian characters. It's too bad it didn't last long…

"HOHOHOHOHO!" came an evil, familiar laugh.

Sonic looked around as he broke the hug. "Alright. I know you're here, Egghead. Come on out, you fat lard!"

Dr. Robotnik appeared from his flying Egg Mobile as he emerged from above. He looked like he recovered from the assault Dark Sonic pulled two weeks ago. "Well, well. If isn't the blue rat and his cuddly girl friends," he taunted while snickering.

Sonic stood in front of his friends protectively, spreading his arms out. He's already ticked off at Eggman for obvious reasons. Plus, he wasn't thrilled for this jerk to be here to interrupt their peace.

"Listen, Eggwad, why don't you just get the hell out of here before I decide to wreck your already messed-up face again like I do all the time?"

"Okay, you got me. But I just wanted to ask you one thing."

"And what's that, dare I ask?" Sonic raised an eyebrow.

Eggman returned him with a malicious grin. "How's your _dead_ friend?"

… _That_ was harsh. And it easily triggered Sonic. Amy, Cream, and Cheese huddled behind him with scared looks on their faces.

Sonic scowled furiously and performed a Spin Dash towards the Egg Mobile. The doctor raised his flying vehicle for the hedgehog to miss. He landed on both feet and a hand for support when he hit the ground.

Looking up to him, he growled again. "You wanna put up a fight, you coward? Then show your worst and stop avoiding me!"

He ran up to him again while Robotnik shot lasers and mechanical arms at him. The speedster avoided every laser and jumped on the extended arms to reach the doctor. But before he could land a hit on his notorious archenemy, Eggman had another weapon up his sleeve. The one that killed Tails. He aimed the death ray right at him.

Sonic stopped with wide eyes. Keeping him stationary, Eggman took advantage of him again by grabbing him with a claw.

"AAAHHHH!" he struggled in his grasp.

"Sonic! NO!" Amy cried for her hero.

Eggman sneered and came up with a proposal. "Tell you what, rodent. I'll let you go if you allow me to leave with your pathetic, little buddies."

"And why would you bother with them?" he asked in a tone that sounded like a statement.

"Having one of your friends gone has already ruined your conscience. So I'll be easy on you this time. They won't be harmed, as long as I have their allegiance."

"I swear to Mobius, Eggman. If you try to hurt them like you did to Tails, I will bust up your entire base and end you for good. I should have done it the first time you invaded Green Hill, and I regret everything to let you stay alive."

"I don't know what you're talking about. _He's_ the one who hurt himself. I didn't do anything but try to shoot you. In the end, he's basically nonexistent, just how his life was before you teamed up with him."

Sonic narrowed his eyes to its lowest point.

"But don't worry, Sonic. They probably don't have the courage to sacrifice their lives for you, unlike your dead fox pal."

He flinched and twitched his eye irritably at him for saying the 'd' word again.

"Instead of having them dead, I think they'll look great as my roboticized henchmen. Um, scratch that. Henchwomen."

Cream hugged Amy tight when she listened to Eggman's threat. "Amy, I'm scared."

"I'm not letting you go, Cream. And fat chance that we'll serve you, Eggman!"

"Fine. If you want it that way, I'll shoot you right on the spot instead. I recharged my gun for the same purpose I had two weeks ago, but I'll do it to all of you. Then I can bury you next to that yellow furball."

"Y-you bastard… You wouldn't fucking dare…" he muttered so that Cream didn't hear him.

"Is that a statement?" Eggman taunted.

"DON'T… HURT… THEM."

Sonic shot Eggman with a very cold glare that indicated that he was serious. The problem was that as much as he wanted to hurt him for revenge, he couldn't since he was stuck in Eggman's clutch. He also denied it because if Tails _were_ here, how would he feel if Sonic went belligerent on the doctor with no mercy? Eggman can evil, yet complicated, but the fox would _never_ condone to killing someone for pleasure. And that's how Sonic was ever since he became mortal enemies with the doctor. The worst he's done was just destroy his robots, his chances at building his utopia, and even making him lose half his mustache. But he would never kill Eggman. But would he _now_?

As these thoughts roamed the hedgehog's mind, with his friends cowering with fear and his enemy threatening him at the same time, he gave Eggman one last chance.

"Put the ray gun down, set me down, leave my friends alone, and get out of here. Or I will personally hand you a death slip."

"Or they join my side, and I won't harm them. Plus, I'll leave you alone for at least another week if it makes you happy."

"The only way you'll make me happy is if you bring back my little brother."

"You really need to get over him. But… there could have been a way to bring him back. It's too bad you don't have the necessary tools to use."

Sonic pondered for a few seconds until the answer came to him. "Are you talking about the Chaos Emeralds?"

"Correct. But even if you did have those precious Emeralds, I'll be there to withdraw them from you. Instead, I'll use them to _my_ advantage."

"Wait… you mean you have all seven Emeralds?!"

Eggman sneered as he revealed the collection to the hedgehog.

"How the hell do you have every single one?!"

"That, my friend, is a secret. But I can manipulate the powers with the help of my gun to end their lives if they don't follow my orders. And if you do anything to stop me, I'll get rid of you without even thinking."

"Sonic…" Amy whispered.

"I'll give you the choice, Sonic. Either they come with me, or they go away from you. You've got 30 seconds, or I'll wipe all of you out."

As the doctor inserted the Chaos Emeralds into his weapon, the Blue Blur looked down at his friends with a mix of worriment and uncertainty. He didn't want to lose Amy or Cream, not even Cheese. They've been there to comfort Sonic since Tails passed away, and if he lost either one… he wouldn't know what to do next. But, he had to find a way to stop his archnemesis. However, being stuck inside a mechanical claw wasn't helping his case. Unable to do anything, Sonic lowered his head and closed his eyes. He was almost in the same situation back at Eggman's lair.

"I'd rather be strapped down to a chair and be plunged into the sea to drown rather than let you roboticize my friends."

"Sonic!"

"Besides, at least I'll get to join my little bro…" he muttered to himself.

"Aww… I'm so moved. Too bad that's not an option, so I'll just go ahead and kill them now."

He shot his head back up. "NO!"

But it was too late. Eggman powered up the ray gun on overdrive again and prepared to shoot.

"AMY! CREAM! RUN!"

They were scared, but Amy and Cream, who was holding on to Cheese tightly, tried to run from the impending laser.

"HOHOHOHOHO! SAY YOUR LAST WORDS, BECAUSE HERE IT COMES!"

Eggman pulled the trigger and the laser fired right toward them. However, Amy and Cream dove away from the landing spot. But the impact it made on the ground was so powerful that it shook the entire area. The three landed near a boulder and peeked at the damage the doctor caused. And to their surprise, alongside Eggman and Sonic, they saw a black hole. It was small at first, but then it rose into the sky. Then, it grew larger by the second.

"What the? That's not supposed to happen at all!"

"W-what's going on, Amy?"

"I don't know, Cream…"

"Eggman, what did you do?"

Sonic didn't get an answer from his enemy as he was still entranced by the sudden formation of the black hole.

Suddenly, its force began to suck up its surroundings, including Sonic and the others. Amy and Cream held each other's hands tightly.

"A-Amy! Please don't… l-let me go!"

"I'm trying… to resist… Cream. Just keep… holding my hand."

Unfortunately, the bunny wasn't strong enough to avoid the black hole's strong suction. And before she knew it, Cream let go of Amy. Cheese, who was in her clutch, started crying as they flew towards the gloomy matter.

"CREAM!" Amy and Sonic both yelled.

"Help me!"

"Chao! Chao!"

The two disappeared into the darkness. Meanwhile, Eggman tried to drive his Egg Mobile away. He even pushed most of his buttons to get his jet packs working. One of those buttons, however, was the one to retract the claw holding Sonic.

"Whoa!" The hedgehog fell, but the dark hole's force pulled him towards the sky. However, he managed to grab a wooden post, holding on for dear life.

"This isn't supposed to happen! What went wrong?" Eggman was unable to escape the dark hole and got sucked in while he was in his Egg Mobile. "YARRRGGGHHH!"

Then, Amy who was now holding on to the large stone, was about to get sucked in. "AAAAHHHH!"

"Amy!" Sonic reached a hand out to barely grasp onto Amy's.

"S-Sonic… What do we do?!"

He gave her an unsure look. "I… I don't know. But what I do know… is that I can't… urgh, hold on much… longer…"

"Sonic… I better throw this out before we get sucked in and possibly… Oh, I don't know if I should say it now!"

"Amy, w-what is it?"

The pink hedgehog looked at the blue one. Green eyes met green. Their grasp started to slip away.

"Sonic, I lo-"

Amy wasn't able to finish her thought. Her hand slipped from Sonic's and she flew towards the hole.

"AAAHHHHH!"

"NO! AMYYYYY!"

"SOOOOOONIIIIIIC!"

Amy was now gone in the darkness, alongside Cream, Cheese, and Eggman.

"No… This can't be happening to me!" Sonic felt like he was going to give up. There was no way he could outstand this fight against the dark hole. He took a deep breath and let it out.

 _"Well, this is it. Amy, Cream, please be safe… Tails… if you're up there, please help me out… I need you."_

Sonic squeezed his eyes shut and let go of the post. His body got thrown into the darkness. And after he entered, the black hole materialized into nothing. The Mystic Ruins remained quiet as there was nothing left except Tails' tombstone. And somehow, it managed to survive the cataclysm. **_(1)_**

* * *

 _Location: Peach's Castle_

It has been two weeks since the incident at Bowser's Castle, one week since the burial of a fellow green man, and zero days since the man in red visited the grave.

Before the funeral began, Mario and Peach planned and agreed to let Luigi rest in the castle gardens rather than the Mushroom Cemetery. They thought that his presence was more fitting there since he was a key figure to set foot in the castle. It may not make sense to some of the citizens, but to those two they thought it was best.

Ever since they buried his body, there was absolute silence. Not a single attack or invasion was carried out by the antagonistic Koopa King since he was dealing with the injuries he sustained from both brothers. And the Toads who attended the funeral minded their own business to not even think about Luigi. Not in the way where he stayed under Mario's shadow, but to avoid bringing him up whenever Mario walks about in Toad Town. Instances of this occurred wherever he went. The café, the store, the castle, just about anywhere.

Mario would always express a neutral face. Not a smile nor a frown was found under his big nose, but deep down he was torn to the point where he can't take it. He hated showing his emotions in public, for he wasn't one to cry over the littlest things or anything devastating, unlike his younger bro. However, that moment when he saw him lying on the ground in Bowser's throne room made him lose it. And he tried his best to avoid letting tears flow down his face every time he stood in the castle gardens and stared at the tombstone that denoted his brother's resting place.

Mario was standing in front of it once again, this time in his regular plumber outfit. Carved in stone, a statue of Luigi stood tall with his fists planted on his sides and a proud smile under his smooth, bushy mustache. Mario looked at the words inscribed on the plaque:

 _Here lies Luigi Mario,_

 _Younger Brother of Mario 'Jumpman' Mario,_

 _a Helpful Partner and a Brave, Noble Hero._

 _May his loving soul look after the Mushroom Kingdom._

 _R.I.P._

Those words hit Mario deep in his heart. He never wanted to read them out loud or in his head. But the nightmare became a reality, and he was forced to withstand the emotional pain.

As he lowered down onto the ground, he closed his eyes, clasped his hands together, and prayed to the Star Spirits and Grambi that Luigi will be okay in the heavens above. But he also prayed to see his face again. That unique face. The one where he always sports out a big smile whenever his friends were happy. It described his personality: selfless, helpful, proud. He may be shy or be a scaredy-cat at times, but that didn't matter to Mario at all. He loved him for the way he was.

Princess Peach walked outside to her garden and glimpsed at the red plumber on his knees. She always saw him in front of the grave every day over the past week. Sometimes, she joined his side to keep him company, or to pray next to him. She did miss Luigi after all. He was her best friend, next to Daisy. She slowly approached from behind, hands held in front of her torso.

"Good morning, Mario."

Mario turned around to see the pink princess. "Oh. Hello, Peach."

"Sorry, did I disturb you again?"

Mario showed a small, sad smile. "No, you're fine."

Peach wrapped her arms around him for a tight hug. "I'm sorry, Mario."

"Don't apologize, Princess. It's not your fault. It's mine," he sighed sadly.

Peach shook her head. "Please don't think like that, Mario."

Mario closed his eyes and lowered his head. "I'm sorry. I just can't believe I let him down. He saved me, after all. I feel guilty that I couldn't save him."

"You two always looked out for each other no matter what the situation was. It's not your responsibility to look after both of you. That's too much for you to put on your shoulders. Luigi did what he could to protect you and I highly respect him for being so brave."

"He is brave, regardless if he's afraid of ghosts, the dark, or almost anything. He's still a courageous person in my heart. And I'll never think otherwise."

Peach sympathetically pecked her lips on Mario's cheek. A red blush appeared on his face. He looked at her with a soft smile. It wasn't much, but it kind of warmed the Princess's heart.

"How's Daisy feeling right now?"

"She's in her room. She visited the grave earlier today." The Sarasaland Princess was staying at Peach's Castle for the week ever since the burial was complete. And just like Mario, she stood in front of his grave to pray. She would talk to no one in particular, yet it felt right to her as if Luigi was sitting right in front of her.

Mario gazed back at the tombstone. _"Luigi, if you can hear me, I'll never stop visiting you. I want to see your smile again."_

Peach slightly flinched. She knew how rough it was for Mario to cope through this loss. The sad part was that she learned that people have to move on from losing someone close to them. It happened with her royal parents. That's why she's taken care of by her venerable grandfather, Toadsworth. She wondered if Mario will ever come out of this state of depression and move on. There's nothing wrong about him visiting Luigi all the time, likewise with Daisy. It's the fact that if he digs his own hole and can't escape it, there's no telling what could happen to Mario's sanity. That's what Peach was worried about.

She hugged him even tighter than before. Mario raised his right hand and placed it in front of her soft, gloved one. They both stared at the burial site once more in sadness.

"No matter what, Mario, I'll be there for you like you've always been there for me. You're not alone in this."

Mario squeezed her hand tightly. The princess accepted it as she gave him another kiss on his cheek.

Suddenly, their moment was disrupted by some loud noises. Screams coming from the Toad denizens. They turned around to find the source and no later than that, Toadsworth rushed out to find the two people he was looking for.

"Toadsworth, what's going on?"

"Princess! Master Mario! Another attack has been deployed by Bowser!"

Mario narrowed his eyes and shook his head. "The nerve of him. I can't say I'm surprised. Bowser's ruthless and wants revenge of what happened two weeks ago. And of course, at this time, too," he scoffed crossly.

He ran off while the princess was about to follow. But Toadsworth stopped her.

"Princess! You mustn't go out there! You should go to your room where it's safer!"

"Toadsworth! I don't want to stay behind and just stand around while Mario fights Bowser and everyone else. Besides, I've ventured with him on several occasions."

The brown-dotted Toad hated situations where his pride and joy was on the battlefield and in the line of risking her life. It's bad enough for him whenever she got kidnapped, which has happened no less than fifteen times (give or take a few, or even several, good lord). But she did have a point. She teamed up with Mario and Bowser twice. The first time was when they fought Smithy who invaded Bowser's Keep. The second time happened when Count Bleck called the Void to destroy all worlds. Other than that, she always felt protected when she's close to him. Peach wasn't just a caring, selfless princess. Beneath her delicate appearance, she's a spunky, energetic fighter. **_(2)_**

"Okay, dear. I'll let you go. But I still want to stay close to you as possible."

"Fine. Let's get Daisy as well."

"No need." As if she was on cue, the tomboy princess appeared behind them. "I heard the destruction going on outside. I take it that Mario already left to face him?"

"Yeah. And we should help him," Peach begged.

"I'm with you on that."

The two ran off towards the front door with Toadsworth following as fast as he could. When they reached the castle bridge, they saw Mario standing determinedly in front of Bowser. The rest of the castle grounds had a couple fallen trees, burnt spots on the grass and dirt, and most annoyingly, a ton of panicking Toads screaming and running away.

 _"Seriously, can't at least one of them just man up and help me out?"_ he thought while rolling his eyes.

"BWAHAHAHA! Well, well, well. If isn't Mario!" Bowser roared sinisterly.

"Ugh, haven't we heard enough from you already?"

"It's been two weeks since we last seen each other. And besides I want to destroy you for good." He made a fist with his right claw.

"Gee, I never heard _that_ before. Isn't there anything else you do besides invading the kingdom, trying to take Peach away, or having the urge to kill me?"

"No. It's basically the same thing all the time. I kidnap her, your pudgy little ass beats me for some reason, you take her back, and then I kidnap her again."

"Why can't you just fuck off and leave us alone?"

"Master Mario! Don't use such foul language in front of the princesses! Have some dignity!"

"Now's not the time to scold me, Toadsworth!" he yelled without turning back on the Toad.

"Yes, Mario. Why don't you listen to your little brown mushroom? Oh, I know. He's just as annoying and useless as those other stupid fungi people running like chickens with their heads cut off. It's no wonder it's so easy to take over this kingdom."

"The only thing that's annoying right now is you trespassing." Mario was partially telling the truth. To be honest, he still wasn't keen with the Toads acting so overdramatic about this. In fact, the invasion seemed lackluster to him. Besides, Bowser's by himself, he knocked down some trees and drew out his fire breath a couple of times. But no one's been hurt.

"AAHHHH!"

Okay, scratch that. _One_ Toad has been hurt, but that's because he fell into the moat.

"Well, if you find me annoying, I might as well share what I think is useless. And that's Lil' Greenie, buried up where he belongs!"

Peach and Daisy gasped at Bowser's insensitive words.

"How dare you say that about Luigi?!" said the flower princess distraughtly.

Mario was fuming. "You crossed the line, Bowser." Scrunching up a fist and punching his left hand, he prepared himself to fight. "Do your worst."

The girls ran up to stand on opposite sides of the red plumber. Peach took out her hard-hitting frying pan and summoned her Heart Power. Daisy beckoned her Flower Power from her green brooch while taking out her orange parasol. **_(3)_**

The Koopa tyrant breathed his fire once again towards Mario and friends. The plumber leaped in the air while the princesses dodged to the side. Daisy tried using her magic spray flowers in his way. Bowser tried clawing through the daisies in front of him as some of them blinded his vision. It was the perfect time to whack him with her umbrella.

"GRAAHHHH!" Daisy hit him in his stomach.

Peach used her heart magic to stall Bowser and immobilize him. Pink hearts flowed from her brooch and flew towards him. As he fell under her spell, the Mushroom Princess called out to the hero.

"Mario! He's immobile! Hurry!"

Mario nodded and ran up to him. He triple-jumped perfectly to project his landing on top of Bowser's head. He executed a critical hit which caused the Koopa King to grunt in pain.

"URGHH! You pesky plumber!"

Peach made a risky move and ran behind him. Without getting caught (and kidnapped), she slammed the frying pan on the same spot where Mario jumped on.

"OWWWW! Why you…"

Mario didn't let him finish his statement as he side-kicked across his muzzle. Daisy followed with another whip of her parasol. And Peach slammed her frying pan across Bowser's left arm.

"Hrrgh, if that's you wanna play that way, so be it."

He released more fire causing the three to swiftly dodge the attack. He lunged towards Mario who jumped and avoided a punch. Bowser slammed his fast into the parapet, knocking off some of the stone into the moat. He nearly hit Toadsworth and that caused the old Toad to flee back inside the castle. He quickly recovered as he rarely felt any damage and ran towards the plumber again. While Mario continued leaping and evading, Peach and Daisy tried to stay in range of the fight without getting too close to Bowser. They sent out more hearts and flowers to stall him while the red hero was thinking of another tactic.

However, when he tried jumping at him again, a homing Bullet Bill was shot right at him. And Mario didn't know about it until it was too late. Before his feet could land on Bowser, the bullet blasted him.

"Ooof! What the hell?" he shouted when he landed on the ground.

"Hehehehe!" came a young, irritating voice.

Mario looked up to see where that laugh came from. He narrowed his eyes when he found the source.

"Bowser Jr.!"

"How's it going, plumber boy? You're always trying to beat up my dad, you big meanie?" he sneered inside his Koopa Clown Car.

"Like he hasn't been trying to beat me up for years? Do you really have to be here?"

"Jeez, this is why Dad and I can't stand you. You're so annoying!"

"And I loathe both of you because you're always ruining our peace."

"Mario! Help us!"

Mario turned around to see Bowser holding Peach in his right claw and Daisy in his left.

"Mamma Mia! Not again!"

"MWAHAHAHA! You pathetic fool! You were easily sidetracked that I have captured the one I wanted and even the orange princess!"

"Hey! I have a name you know!"

"Well I couldn't care less because it's insignificant, just like Green 'Stache, even before he died, and he's still insignificant to this day!"

Mario, still enraged, shook his fist. "DON'T talk about my brother like that."

"Who? Greenie?" he scoffed with a low chuckle. "Okay, then. I'll give him a compliment. He sure had some fire to help you out in that battle."

That still didn't make Mario happy. And what he was about to say next…

"Even though you guys are tough to get rid of, at least one of you is gone for good. It's not you, but that's one less annoying plumber to deal with."

…made it worse. _Big time._

Mario rolled his long sleeves up to his elbows and glared at the large Koopa. He took out a spare Fire Flower from his pocket and transformed into Fire Mario. He pelted fireballs at the Koopa while avoiding the hands in the case of burning the princesses on accident. At the same time, he evaded Junior's attack from his flying vehicle.

The Koopa jumped away from some of the fire as he dealt with a couple hits. They may feel minor, but getting pelted with several of them could be the deciding factor for his defeat. Bowser retaliated by dealing more fire at him and punching his fists at Mario while still holding onto Peach and Daisy. Unfortunately for them, they were beginning to feel dizzy from the sudden thrusts.

"Let them go, Bowser," he warned as he threw more fireballs and dodged another Bullet Bill.

"Not gonna happen, plumber. Until I get rid of you, they will become part of my reign over this stupid kingdom. And no one's gonna stop me, including you."

Mario tried to sneak another jump attack at him, but no one expected what happened next. He, as well as everyone else, heard a faint scream. They all tilted their heads around as it sounded louder and closer to them by the second.

"What the?" Bowser grunted.

Then, a ball sped towards the Koopa Clown and knocked Jr. out of the dirigible.

"Whoa! Aaaah!" he yelled as he fell out and landed hard on the grass.

The same ball, which was where the screaming came from, was also heading towards Bowser from its trajectory. The Koopa looked up and couldn't react in time to dodge.

"BWAAAHHH!"

It hit him in the head with such high velocity and force that it made him tumble and fall. When he hit the ground, he lost his clutch and the princesses were free from Bowser. Peach and Daisy got up and ran towards Mario's side. They noticed how confused he was. His eyes were planted at what serendipitously stopped the Koopas. The girls looked in the same direction and widened their eyes. Peach gasped and had a hand covering her mouth. Mario and Daisy remained quiet but were still surprised at the 'ball'.

Laying just a couple feet away from the fallen Koopa King and Koopa Kid was not a ball, but an unconscious individual. A blue individual. In fact, it was a blue hedgehog.

 ** _END OF CHAPTER_**

* * *

 _Well, there it is. Chapter 5 of New Brotherhood complete after 'abandoning' it for two months. Sorry for the wait, but I got it done before I left for vacation. So, it's obvious that Sonic transported from his home to Mario's dimension, but what will happen next? If you're wondering, both heroes will meet each other for the first time. However, they're not the only ones who will meet someone from the other side. You'll find out what I mean in Ch. 6._

 _I'll start writing more of this and the next chapter of Hidden Bravery once I return. Please let me know how I did. Review, follow/favorite, and I'll see you in the next one. This is TGN, signing off._

* * *

 ** _Post-Chapter Notes:_**

 ** _(1):_** _I decided to teleport Sonic and the others to Mario's world. If this sounds familiar, it's sort of like the first chapter of Mario & Sonic: Heroes Unite! by Azurixx, my favorite M&S crossover on FFN, but it's written differently to correlate with my story. Plus, I'm more familiar with Mario's universe than Sonic's world._

 _Disclaimer_ _: I did not originally come up with this idea or the story mentioned above. That scene is mainly based off that fanfiction._

 ** _(2):_** _Honestly, even though Peach gets kidnapped a lot for certain reasons or just because it's Bowser, she can quite helpful in several games she's playable in, referencing Super Mario RPG and Super Paper Mario. As for the kidnappings, she's probably been victim for at least 30 times in the history of Mario games (including the upcoming Odyssey release). It occurred about 10-15 times prior to when Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games came out (assuming that they never met each other beforehand)._

 ** _(3):_** _One of Peach's weapons in Super Mario RPG was the Metal Plate (a.k.a. the Frying Pan). She also can use a parasol for both offense and defense, but I decided that Daisy should have that kind of tool for the fight._


	7. Ch 6: One Half Meets the Other

_A/N: __Another day, another chapter of_ _New Brotherhood_ _. I was too impatient to wait so I decided to upload it as soon as I finished writing it._

 _And even though I don't update this story regularly, I appreciate the love, support, and the reviews. Special shoutouts to NormanWhitesmith, Steel Fairy, and everyone else who reviewed my story. And thank you guys for over_ _ **1500 hits**_ _! Anyways, I hope you enjoy this one!_

 ** _*NOTE: _****_I forgot to let Sonic introduce himself to Mario and company, so I re-edited their meet-up a little bit. It's nothing too major, but I wanted to address that. I mean, how else would the others learn his name, right?_**

 ** _I also added another PCN, and rearranged the numbers._**

* * *

 _Disclaimer: __I do not own anything but the story plot. That is all._

* * *

 **Chapter 6:** One Half Meets the Other

 _"_ _SONIC! NOOOO!"_

 _Sonic opened his eyes of what should have been his ill-fated death scene. But the next thing he knew, he saw his little brother… diving in front of him. And what he heard next shattered his soul and heart._

 _In his sacrificial attempt, the fox got struck in his white-furred chest. "AAAAAHHH!"_

 _"_ _TAILS!"_

…

…

…

"TAILS, NO!"

It was all so sudden to him. Sonic the Hedgehog woke up with a loud scream from a horrible nightmare. He panted heavily while sitting upright. He put a hand to his head and rubbed his right temple.

 _"_ _Oh my god… That was awful, again. Why do I keep dreaming of that? It won't stop haunting my mind."_

He dreamt of the same death scene that took place at Eggman's base. And after every time he woke up, it left him an empty void in his heart.

As he tried to erase the nightmare he sustained, he finally took notice of where he was. He realized he was in a bedroom. It was very unfamiliar to him. He looked at the white walls covered with tapestries, banners, and other mushroom decorations as well as the large window that led to a white balcony. Just outside he saw a bunch of green hills, but they weren't like the green hills in his world. The most noticeable aspects he saw where the denizens of mushroom people and the unique town they were walking in. It was much different than Station Square. He looked down to see himself sitting under a pink, fluffy blanket wrapped over a queen-sized bed.

 _"_ _Pink? But this isn't Amy's house. She doesn't have a big bed like this! Now that I think about it, where is Amy? And Cream? And what's with all the mushrooms?"_

Then, Sonic heard some noises outside the door.

"I could've sworn I heard a voice in there. Maybe the stranger is awake now!" came a low-pitched elderly voice.

 _"_ _Stranger?"_

"If so, I hope we won't disturb him from his condition," he heard a voice that was more dainty and feminine.

"Only one way to find out," he perceived a man's voice with a distinct foreign accent.

Soon, Sonic saw the door open and was caught off guard by the visitor. There, a blonde, beautiful, pink-dressed princess entered the room. She happened to catch the hedgehog sitting up in bed.

"Oh my! You're finally awake! Thank the Star Spirits!"

Sonic blinked before he saw two more people walk in. A short mushroom individual with brown dots, eyeglasses, a white mustache, a purple, sleeveless outfit and a cane by his side, followed the princess and glanced at the Mobian. Finally, a red-clothed man with blue overalls and a bushy, black mustache arrived. He also looked at Sonic, noticing how perplexed he was.

After some silence, the hedgehog finally spoke. "W-who are you people?"

"Allow me to introduce everyone. My name is Princess Peach, the ruler of the Mushroom Kingdom. And this is-"

"Wait a minute… Mushroom Kingdom?" Sonic interrupted. He then noticed he cut her off rudely. "Oh, excuse me, uh, your Highness. I didn't mean to-"

"Oh no, you're forgiven. I understand you must be confused and tired after being out for almost six hours."

Sonic's eyes widened. "Six hours?! Wha… How? Why? What the heck just happened?"

"I'll explain soon. Anyways, these people right here are Toadsworth, who's my steward, and Mario, my… special friend."

Mario didn't react to Peach's awkward introduction of himself and didn't bother to dispute. He didn't say anything. He just kept staring at Sonic, but at least tipped his cap to greet him. As he was quiet, Princess Peach explained the situation between the two of them with Daisy against Bowser and how he suddenly appeared here from out of nowhere. When the ferocious Koopa King and his son were suddenly taken down, Peach used her heart powers to send Bowser and Jr. back to their castle. Afterwards, the party carried the then-unconscious Sonic to resuscitate in one of the castle rooms. **_(1)_**

"Well, thank you for taking me in, even though I couldn't remember all of that."

"You're welcome, um… Oh, I'm sorry. I forgot to ask who you are."

"My name is Sonic. Sonic the Hedgehog."

"Well, it is a pleasure to formally welcome you to our kingdom, Mister Sonic," saluted Toadsworth.

"Thanks. So… about this Bowser guy, he's basically your 'archenemy' just because he wants to take over the world and usually kidnaps you?" he asked Peach.

"Yes. It's very tiring to be part of it, but surprisingly he has been helpful on some occasions. But most of the time, he's always against us."

Sonic turned to the silent plumber. "And you, um… Mario, right?" He received a nod. "You're typically the 'hero' of this kingdom you live in?"

Mario shrugged. "You can say that," he spoke for the first time since seeing him. "That's pretty much what all the Toads who live here and the people I've met look up to me as." But secretly, he loathed and berated himself, saying in his mind that he wasn't a hero and doesn't deserve such a title. He mentally kicked himself.

"Well, I can sort of relate to you in that aspect. You see, I come from a place named Mobius. It's full of anthropomorphic animals like myself, alongside some humans. One of whom is actually my enemy: Dr. Eggman."

"Excuse me, Dr. Eggman?" Toadsworth repeated.

"He's this overweight doctor who's really into building robots and machines to try and destroy me for good. But I always took him down by taking advantage of what I do best."

"And what's that?" Mario wondered.

"By running. I can travel faster than the speed of sound. Where I got places to go, to either follow a rainbow or just destroy his robots. **_(2)_** But, there was only one time I technically lost against him. What's worse is that it involved a loss of someone personal to me."

"Someone personal?"

Sonic stared coldly at the three of them as the memory replayed in his mind. "My little brother, Tails."

Mario flinched when he heard those three words. _My little brother._ Peach felt sympathetic when he mentioned death. Toadsworth was curious on his backstory.

"Ahem, um, if you don't mind, can you explain who this Tails person is?"

Sonic explained from the very beginning from when he crashed on Westside Island, to confronting the bullies who harassed the then four-year old fox, to comforting the poor kid. He pointed out his strengths on planes and inventions as well as his unique ability to fly with his namesakes. He mentioned that he adopted the kitsune as his partner and brother for life, and reminisced the times he helped in most of their adventures. But later, Sonic told the heartbreaking moment when he sacrificed his life to save his. After hearing about his flashback, Mario felt sick to his stomach, Peach started to water her eyes, and Toadsworth was regretful for asking.

"I'm terribly sorry," Peach softly whispered.

"As am I," Toadsworth mentioned.

"No, it's alright. I know he's in a better place right now. I just wish I could see him again."

 _"_ _I wish I could see_ _ **him**_ _again, too,"_ Mario thought to himself. He started having butterflies as he reminisced that scene in Bowser's dungeon.

"By the way, Sonic, do you remember how you got here?" Peach inquired with curiosity.

"Off the top of my head, the last thing I remembered was Eggman confronting me and my friends, Amy, Cream, and Cheese. When Eggman brought up Tails' death, I got angry and tried to attack him. But he restrained me and threatened to roboticize them. When they held back, he then tried to kill them. But his death ray caused this giant black hole to suck us all up. And that was the last time I saw either one of them before I got sucked in as well. And now… here I am, I guess. In your world. But, I don't know where the others could be."

"Well if you managed to transport here, maybe your friends are in our world, too. We could start a search party to help find them."

"Oh, please no. I really don't want you guys to waste your time. I can find them myself."

"Honestly, I would not recommend that," said Mario.

"And why not?"

"You've been in a sleeping trance for six hours and you just got up from some sort of nightmare. I think it's better for you to relax and let us handle the situation."

Sonic narrowed his eyes. "Are you trying to say that I'm not capable of finding my friends who could be out there in who knows where, possibly on the verge of danger?"

"What? No! I'm trying to say that-"

Sonic didn't let him finish his explanation. He pulled the sheets and jumped off the bed to confront him. "Oh, I know. You're just saying that because you're the so-called hero of this kingdom, you're the one in charge to make the decisions here. You must be _SO_ top-notch that everyone should only listen to _you_ and _you_ only," he jabbed the plumber with his index finger.

Mario brought his hand down away from him and mirrored Sonic's gaze. "That is not true! I'm not the one with the responsibility of ruling a kingdom. That's the princess' job!" Mario paused. "No offense," he directed at Peach and then turned back to the stubborn hedgehog. "I don't have the capability of doing that!"

"But you probably like to boss around people doing whatever you want. You should at least let me do what I can."

"I'm not bossing you! I actually care about your health after what has happened to you. You don't have to be obstinate towards me."

"At least _you're_ not the one who lost someone close to you like _I_ did! And I'm not just referring to _my brother_!"

The room was suddenly filled with awkward silence, yet rising tensions. Peach and Toadsworth felt like they just heard a pin drop. As for Mario, he was triggered, and worst of all, his heart felt like it broke into pieces… **_again_**. He couldn't take this tormented feeling building up in his gut. He swiftly turned around and grabbed the doorknob harshly. On his way out the door, he slammed it with enough force that it echoed throughout the castle. He deliberately trudged away down the corridor. The princess and elderly Toad, who unfortunately were caught up in the middle of the drama, jumped from Mario's sudden outburst.

"I apologize, Mister Sonic. But… Master Mario is a lot more dignified than what you just saw. In fact, I'm going to have a strict talk with him later."

Sonic didn't turn to Toadsworth. He aimlessly stared at the door while thinking. _"So far all I see is a worked-up carpenter._ _ **(3)**_ _Or plumber. Ah, who cares what his profession is?!"_

Peach saw how uncomfortable Sonic looked. "Excuse me, Sonic, but…" He turned to her, this time with a neutral face considering he was dealing with a woman of a high honor. "Can I make you some tea at least?" she suggested as a way to calm him down.

Sonic thought about it for a while. He sighed and shrugged afterwards. "I guess so."

Peach gave him a sympathetic smile as she headed towards the door. "I'll be right back. Just for now, make yourself comfortable as you wish. But if you want, you can explore the castle if you like."

"Thanks, your Majesty," he gave a small bow.

She giggled. "Please, you can call me Peach."

Sonic blushed as he watched her and Toadsworth leave the room. To be frank, he felt slightly embarrassed that he blew his temper in front of some people he has never met before. But there was something else that clouded his mind. And it was the guy in red. For some reason, he did not have a good feeling about him. Even though he's considered the hero of the Mushroom Kingdom, Sonic felt that there's something beyond that title that's making him seem… uncharacteristic, to say the least. But he didn't know what, other than seeing him irate.

He went back to the bed, sat on the edge, and laid back. He stared at the ceiling with outstretched arms on his sides as he wondered what the hell just happened. Still, he couldn't keep his mind off Tails and his missing friends, and even Eggman. He wondered where they could be right now. But those thoughts were once again plagued by Mario's questionable behavior…

* * *

 _Location: The Overthere_

Here at the Overthere, it was a wondrous resting place found high in the heavens above with white, fluffy clouds and a peaceful atmosphere. This was one of the two places in the 'afterlife' where those who lost their lives spend their time in. But only individuals who were considered good or kind-spirited were allowed access to live. The inhabitants were known as the Nimbis, a group of angel-like spirits who mainly speak in Early Modern English. **_(4)_** The ruler of this graceful place was named Grambi, the Nimbi king who looks after the citizens.

The other dimension was the Underwhere, otherwise known as the land of ended games, or World -1. Queen Jaydes, the significant other of Grambi, ruled this dark world and watches over the Shayde citizens who roamed the land. Albeit strict, the queen was friendlier than people think. She was the one to weigh each person's sins to determine whether they shall stay in the Underwhere as a neutral Shayde resident, suffer in the depths of this world as an evil Skellobit, or gain entry to the Overthere as a peaceful Nimbi. About a week ago, she happened to establish the fate of a certain individual. Despite somewhat knowing him, she had to do her job as if he was a normal person who ended their games. Luckily for him, he was deemed worthy enough to live in the heavenly dimension. The only exception was that he wasn't converted into a Nimbi.

Now, he was sitting on the edge of a fluffy cloud platform. He looked at the beautiful, light blue sky by himself. His mind was at peace, not a single sound or thing disturbed him. Well, that is until…

 ** _*Boing!_**

"Ow!" He felt something hit him in the back of his head. He turned around to see two Nimbis with scared looks on their faces and a ball just a couple feet in front of them.

"Great, now thou've done it," whispered a young, female angel to the Nimbi boy next to her.

He looked a couple years younger than the girl. He floated over towards the figure. "Sorry, mister. I didn't mean to throw it too far, and it accidentally hit thou," he apologized.

The man got up and picked up the ball. He started to make the kids worried. But what surprised them was that he showed an empathetic smile.

"It's okay, guys. You were just playing and having fun. It was only an accident. Here you go," he handed the object back to the boy.

"Thanks, sir."

He smiled. "Please, just call me Luigi."

"Yes, Luigi! Bless thy soul!" thanked the Nimbi girl before running off with her friend.

"No problem," he chuckled and watched the children leave.

Indeed, Luigi was the one whom Queen Jaydes examined and was permitted into the Overthere. Unlike the Nimbis, he was still in his traditional appearance. Green shirt and hat with a signature 'L', dark blue overalls, white gloves, and brown boots. The only difference was that he had angel wings behind his back and a halo hanging above his cap. It was very… different and weird to picture him like this, but I guess that's how fallen angels were born.

He took a moment to stretch his arms and legs before going on a walk. He decided to visit the king of the heavens. A few minutes later, he found him standing in front of one of the white halls. Beside him was a familiar character, although to Luigi he looked new to the place.

"Hello, Mr. Grambi," Luigi bowed in front of the ruler.

"Ah, Master Luigi. It is good to seeth thou again," greeted Grambi.

"Who is he, sir?" he asked politely.

"Oh, allow me to introduce him. Luigi, I liketh thou to meet Miles 'Tails' Prower. As his nickname discourses, he is a two-tailed kitsune who originates from another dimension but was sent hither to live his life after his game ended. Tails, this is Luigi, an old friend I've met in one of mine earlier encounters."

Just like the plumber, the yellow-furred fox had wings on his back and a halo above his head and bangs. Luigi then noticed the two bushy tails with white fur at the tips. He was very intrigued by the oddity.

"Wow. I've never seen an animal with two tails before. That's kinda cool!"

Tails didn't respond, but he smiled shyly at the plumber's compliment. It reminded him of Sonic when they first met.

"I was just showing him around the area so he could become accustomed to our home."

"That's nice of you."

Then, a feminine voice rang nearby. "Father! I am hither now!"

A Nimbi girl hovered towards the group of three. She was Luvbi. She was born as the supposed daughter of Jaydes and Grambi as a disguise of the last Pure Heart in one of Mario's adventures. After learning the truth of her existence, she ceased and reverted into the white heart-shaped artifact to help the legendary heroes. When the Void was no more and all dimensions were saved from destruction, she was miraculously revived and returned to her loving family. Compared to her younger self when she infamously ridiculed Mario and Luigi for their hairy appearance, she grew up to be a mature angel.

"Father! I hast received a message from Mother! She is visiting the Overthere hither to spend some family timeth together. She wilt art arriving shortly near the Rainbow Bridge. And we hast to seeth her once she gets thither."

"Oh, I almost forgot! Thank thee, dear Luvbi."

"But wait! What about the rest of the Overthere?" Tails asked.

"Mmm, aye. That is a problem. Oh!" Grambi turned to Luigi. "Master Luigi, doeth thou mind showing Tails the tour of this placeth? I'm afraid I'll art busy for the rest of the day."

"I'd be happy to guide Tails!"

"I appreciate thy help. Tails, I hope thou don't mind me leaving so anon."

"Oh, that's okay, Mr. Grambi. He seems trustworthy enough."

"Pleasant. Well, I'll art off. Come, Luvbi. Seeth thou anon."

"Farewell, sirs!" Luvbi called out.

"Bye, guys! Have fun!" Luigi waved his hand goodbye. He then turned to the fox. "So, I guess your name is Tails because of your two tails?"

"Yeah. It's a birth defect, but it's established for who I am. I like it better than my original name."

"Where did you get the nickname?"

"From my best friend and adoptive older brother, Sonic."

Luigi had a slight twinge when he heard the word 'brother'. "Adoptive?"

"You see, Sonic isn't a fox. He's a hedgehog. He's kinda like me with a deformity, considering he has blue fur. But best of all, he can run at hundreds of miles per hour! It's insane to see him run! He's always there for fast-paced adventures, high thrills, and robot destructions. Anyways, he decided to adopt me when he realized we were one in the same. We lost our parents, we used to be bullied for being different, but we ended up being best friends and heroes to help our world."

"Wow. So you guys do whatever you can to protect your home?"

"Yeah! I help Sonic out as his sidekick with my knowledge on flying and combat, all thanks to him! But… um…" He lowered his head and kicked his foot in the clouds.

"You passed away and made it here," Luigi finished solemnly.

"Yeah… I actually made a bold move to save my brother from being killed."

The plumber furrowed his eyebrows. "How?"

Tails explained his story on how his enemy, Eggman, was hell bent on finishing Sonic once and for all. He mentioned that he jumped in the way of his death ray to prevent the hedgehog from dying. After saying his last goodbye, he was sent from his dimension to the Underwhere. After a long wait, he had sins weighed by Queen Jaydes and was officially sent to the Overthere.

Luigi's mouth was slightly agape before closing it. He felt so sorry for the young fox. He placed a hand on his shoulder. "I understand where you're coming from. I, too, had a similar experience to how I was sent here."

Tails was shocked. "You did?"

Luigi nodded and explained his story on how Mario almost got shot to death by his enemy's laser cannon. That led to him pushing the red hero out of the way only to get struck by it afterwards. Luigi gave his partings to Mario before his soul was taken to the Underwhere. A week later, here he was, standing next to a fox who had a similar fate.

Now Tails was the one who became sympathetic. "Oh my god. I'm sorry, Luigi."

He sighed. "No, Tails. I did what I could to save my brother. And after hearing your story, it makes me miss him so much. Even though I'm unable to see what my brother is thinking of or what he's doing, I can only hope he's not kicking himself down."

"That's kinda how I feel towards Sonic right now, too. Man, I never thought we would have similarities between each other."

"Yeah, being the younger brother and somehow saving our old ones so they can continue saving the worlds."

The two stood in silence, feeling somewhat perturbed. Luigi tried to brighten up the mood.

"Um, hey, let's not think about it anymore. This is no time to be sad. Besides, I still have to show you around the Overthere!"

"You're right. We should be spending our time having joyous moments instead!"

"But before we do that, why don't we start over?" Luigi held out his right hand. "I'm Luigi. Nice to meet you."

Tails followed his actions. "Hello, Luigi. I'm Tails. Nice to meet you, too."

The two shook hands and smiled. They drifted away from their negative feelings as they enjoyed the company of someone they can relate to. They walked down the fluffy path and began a friendly conversation with each other as Luigi led his new friend to his permanent home.

 ** _END OF CHAPTER_**

* * *

 _Okay, so… Mario and Sonic's first impressions with each other were… Awkward? Bad? Not what you were hoping for? Probably all three and more than just that? Well, that's how their relationship started, already in a bad direction. But just wait, guys. As the story progresses, they'll learn about each other more than they discern._

 _As for Luigi and Tails, their angelic souls seemed to have crossed paths, but in a pleasant way. However, what is the significance of these two and why are we seeing them in the afterlife?_

 _Let me know how I did for this chapter. Please review, follow/favorite, and I'll see you guys in Ch. 7. Thanks again for reading! This is TGN, signing off._

* * *

 ** _Post-Chapter Notes:_**

 _ **(1):** This was the aftermath after Mario, Peach, and Daisy found Sonic who interfered with their battle against Bowser. And Peach's heart powers are similar to what she did at the beginning of __Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story_ _, where she weakened Bowser and made him fly out of her own castle._

 ** _(2):_** _I made a slight reference to one of the lyrics in 'Escape from the City', which is heard in Sonic Adventure 2._

 _ **(3):** When Shigeru Miyamoto created Mario (a.k.a Jumpman), he was initially developed under the role of a carpenter. Someone pointed out that he looked more of like a plumber (which relates to how he got his name from physical similarities to Nintendo's former landlord, Mario Segale), so his occupation was changed. But our favorite red hero had gone through other professions such as a doctor, tennis player, kart racer, professional fighter, etc., making him a jack-of-all-trades._

 _ **(4):** Bear with me, guys. I used a translator for old English to fit the dialogue of Grambi, Luvbi, and the other Nimbis as shown above. It's not truly Shakespearean language, but it's close enough. Plus, I'm not planning on using this too much. That would get the story sidetracked._


	8. Ch 7: Heated Conversations

_A/N: Thank you Steel Fairy, NormanWhitesmith, FairyTalePrincess16, and Mitha Sentro for reviewing the last chapter. All of your comments motivated me to write another, so this one is for you guys! The problem is, I just hope you can deal with another stressful chapter because things aren't settling down this early into the story. And second, it's much shorter than the previous ones. Regardless I hope you enjoy it!_

* * *

 _Disclaimer:_ _I don't own Mario or Sonic at all. They belong to Nintendo and Sega, respectively._

* * *

 **Chapter 7:** Heated Conversations

Princess Peach returned to the guest bedroom to hand Sonic his cup of tea. Once he thanked her, she left to give him some privacy. After finishing his piping drink, he walked over to the balcony. He stood in front of the balustrade and rested his hands on the edge as he gazed a better view of the Mushroom Kingdom. The afternoon sun still shined brightly over the green hills and the town below. There were many Toads who were planting new trees and cleaning up the debris after Bowser invaded the kingdom.

While watching the Mushroom people, Sonic continued to think about Amy, Cream, and Cheese. He wondered where they could be after being lost in that black hole. He began to worry about the possibility of never seeing them again. But the speedster shook it off. He didn't want to think about it at this moment. He decided to go out for a run to clear his mind. And it would be the first time he did this since running to Tails' funeral.

Sonic zipped out of the room and sped downstairs into the main lobby. He pushed the front doors open, breathed in the fresh air, and let his feet fly. Going at hundreds of miles per hour, he dashed through Toad Town in a quick blink of an eye. Some of the Toads had to hold their ground when he passed by as he left a strong wind behind his path. They were either amazed by his speed, or annoyed that he almost knocked them down by surprise.

Sonic never felt more alive. His sharp quills bounced wildly in fast motion while his legs became a blur of blue, white, and red. He grinned for the first time as he took his time doing what he loves. He decided to venture through the Mushroom Kingdom, stopping momentarily in between in runs to see what this world had to offer. From lush forests of green to the tropical waters of blue (without swimming in it), from the rocky mountain mines to the vast, dry deserts, Sonic was impressed by the landscape in Mario's dimension. Some of them reminded of the locations from his own world. He decided to stop at a hill to take one more look of Toad Town. By that time, the sun started to descend behind the mountains. He smiled even more as the running and the scenery calmed his nerves. Feeling satisfied, he dashed back to the castle.

Unlike Sonic, the other hero was still stressed out. The plumber in red was sitting in the castle library, reading a book to alleviate his anger. He eventually fell asleep with his face resting on its side above his left arm for support. However, he snoozed for only a few minutes before hearing Toadsworth entering the room with a red face.

"Master Mario!"

Mario opened his eyes irritatingly and raised his head. The next thing he saw was the brown Toad, who looked infuriated. He started to rant about Mario's inappropriate behavior.

"What are you doing?! Here you are, sleeping on the job!"

"What job do I even have at this point, Toadsworth?" he rubbed his right eye.

"I need to have a talk with you."

Mario sighed. "Why?"

"You should know, Master Mario!"

"Toadsworth, don't call me that. I don't deserve that title or anything worthy of this kingdom anymore."

"And that's part of the problem. You are digging your own grave since Master Luigi passed away."

Mario slammed the book shut and got up from his chair recklessly. "Must you bring that up?" he said in a bitter tone that sounded like a statement rather than a question.

"I'm sorry, but the way you acted today was highly inexcusable. You certainly were not taking in the situation properly."

"About what? Swearing at Bowser for being an overgrowing threat? Slamming the door in front of that hedgehog's face? Having my heart feeling like it's getting sucked into a black hole as I slowly die inside?"

Toadsworth was appalled. "Master Mario!"

"I said don't call me that! I don't deserve it!" he retorted back.

"Mario, please look at me," he directed with a crack in his voice. A part of him simmered down from his anger and felt sympathetic for the broken man. "I don't mean to yell at you or hurt your feelings. I deeply respect you for what you do to our kingdom and how you help our fair princess over the last several years. But can we please talk for a minute or two? I want to do anything in my power to help you from being a lost cause."

Mario's mind was debating whether he wanted to blow up in front of Toadsworth again, or follow his advice. If he picked the first option, that wouldn't lighten the tension he's building up inside. If he chose the latter, maybe he could feel better from a small conversation. Trying to stay ethical, he sat back down in his chair and gave the elderly Toad a chance to speak.

At that time, the blue hedgehog returned to the castle and decided to scope out the interior. He was fascinated by the design of the main lobby. Sonic then found a large kitchen, a dining room, a ballroom, and several other special rooms that contained artifacts handed down by the princess' ancestors. Later, he was about to open the door to the library, but stopped when he heard a familiar voice inside.

"Okay, Toadsworth. What do you want to say?"

 _"Hmph. It's that Mario guy. What's he doing in there?"_ Sonic thought. He leaned his ear against the door lightly. He's not much of an eavesdropper, but he has done it to Tails a couple of times if he was suspicious of his little brother lying or hiding something.

"I just want to know why you rudely exited out of the room after talking to Mister Sonic."

 _"Exited? Pfft, more like stormed out."_

"I couldn't deal with the stress," Mario answered.

 _"Stress? Oh, probably from being the **hero** of this place. Ugh, hero, my ass,"_ he rolled his eyes.

"Mario," Toadsworth put a hand on his head. "What you did in front of him was not appropriate. You could have taken your leave in a more mature, suitable way."

"I understand that now," he sighed. "I just couldn't handle myself. I didn't mean to act like a jerk. But I wanted to help him at first, and he just confronted me like I was an overachiever."

 _"Help me?"_ the Blue Blur raised an eyebrow.

"I guess I can see where you were going from there. Continue."

"When he mentioned that his friends were missing, the least I could do was offer some help to find them while he rests. I'm not saying he's not capable to do things on his own. If he's fast as he claims to be, he could run throughout this kingdom-"

 _"Which I did…"_

"-and search high and low to see if they were transported to our dimension. But he was in a six-hour coma. At least it wasn't severe where he was out for a couple of days or even a week. But even after six hours, he should at least take some time to recover after being stuck in limbo. Or whatever he was in before he screamed during the middle of the day. I didn't want him to be more frazzled than he was before."

Sonic moved his head away from the door for a moment. He took in the plumber's discussion slowly, word by word. Mario wanted to help him find his friends, _and_ he wanted him to rest to restore his condition, not to let him sit around to do nothing while he stands out as a superior leader. He started to have a second impression towards him. He leaned back to hear the rest of their colloquy.

"I didn't mean to make him mad, but did he have to oppose me with his backlash?"

"I'm sure Mister Sonic misunderstood what you said."

"Misunderstood? More like he didn't listen to me. He cut me off, first of all, and called me 'so top-notch' like I know what the hell I'm doing. Well, what he doesn't know is that even though we can be called 'heroes', we are not perfect. No one is. Not him, not even me, especially with what I did to Luigi."

"But Mario! It wasn't your fault in the first place!"

"That's what you all say, but I know it's true."

 _"Luigi? I don't know a Luigi, and they never mentioned that name to me. Who is he?"_

"What are you doing?"

Sonic heard a different voice, this one coming from behind him. He jumped back and quickly turned around as he was caught off guard. He saw a woman with tomboy hair and an orange dress.

"Well, are you going to answer my question or not?" she folded her arms.

"Uh… I was just… I was… admiring this amazing door. Oh yeah, that's some smooth material right there," he lied with an innocent smile. "Is this mahogany?"

"Sure you were. And no, it's redwood. I take it that you're Sonic the Hedgehog, I presume? Peach has told me about you after you crashed into our world."

"Yeah, that's me. And who are you?"

"I am Princess Daisy."

Sonic leaned back in surprise. "Oh, so you're Daisy! The princess did mention you before. You're the ruler of Sassafras Land, right?"

"Sarasaland," she corrected him.

"Yeah, that. Well, it's nice to meet you," he bowed.

"Nice to meet you, too. But seriously, enough with the jokes." That made Sonic frown. "What were you doing leaning against the door? Were you eavesdropping?"

"No, no," he shook his hands. "I just wanted to check out what this castle has to offer. I've already sped throughout the kingdom here to see what worlds connect to this area."

"Okay, so you weren't just listening to some people and invading their privacy?" she glared.

Sonic bit his lower lip and surrendered when he couldn't take Daisy's glower any longer. "Alright! I did eavesdrop on them!" he hissed softly, trying not to let Mario or Toadsworth hear him.

"Why?" she put her hands on her hips.

"I was curious on what they were talking about."

"That's it?"

"Yeah, nothing else."

"Daisy, Sonic, there you are," the two heard another voice. This one came from Princess Peach who approached her friends. "What's going on?"

"Well, I happened to catch him leaning against the door." Sonic scowled at Daisy, but she ignored it. "Anyways, I got him to confess that he was snooping on Mario's conversation with Toadsworth."

"How do you know that?"

"Because I can barely hear them chat in there, and he was wondering on whatever they're talking about."

"Listen, I know it's wrong to peep on others without permission, but I couldn't help myself. I wanted to see what they had to say. I won't do it again, yet I have a question."

"What is it, Sonic?" questioned Peach.

"I overheard Mario talking about this Luigi person. Who is he?" Peach sulked when he mentioned that name. Daisy started to tense up and shook disturbingly. Sonic noticed how uncomfortable the princesses were that he became confused. "What's wrong?"

"Sonic, you see…"

Peach didn't finish when the library entrance opened. The three turned to see Mario and Toadsworth standing there, surprised to see them here of all places.

 _"Oh, shoot,"_ Sonic groaned mentally.

"What's going on here?" asked Mario.

He didn't receive a response from any of them.

"Well?"

Still, no answer.

Toadsworth saw Peach's face and instantly became worried. "Princess, does something trouble you so?"

"Um, no, Toadsworth. It's nothing," she fibbed.

"If it's nothing, then why do you and Princess Daisy look upset? And Mister Sonic, what are you doing here?"

"Were you secretly listening to us?" accused Mario.

"What? What are you talking about? Why would you even say that?" he tried to sound defensive. Daisy gave him a look.

"Because I could have sworn I heard you whispering outside the room. With Daisy, too. If you were eavesdropping, then you must have some reason why you're here."

Sonic was now feeling uncomfortable from Mario's stare. He attempted to stay strong and not give in. He bit his lip again as he remained quiet.

Mario decided enough was enough. He groaned, unsatisfied. "You know what? Why do I even bother? You're our guest so I shouldn't be arguing with you, let alone make you mad again. Because if I do, I'd be a worse person than I am right now."

"Mario!" Peach was shocked.

"Now if you'll excuse me, I'll be heading home," he grumbled and walked passed the hedgehog.

"Wait, I thought you lived here," Sonic spoke.

Mario lowered his eyebrows and curved his lips into a frown. He turned back to Sonic and came face to face with him, angrily glaring with blue irises into the hedgehog's emerald. Even though Mario was barely shorter in height, his eye level was the same as Sonic's. **_(1)_** "I'm not royal or worthy enough to live in a castle. Besides, I have my own home, thank you very much. And it's where I stay, _alone_ , by myself."

Peach, Daisy, and Toadsworth all recoiled when Mario spat out that word with emphasis. But for Sonic, he took it as an insult.

"Alone? So you can stay away from me? All because I blew up in your face?" he scowled.

"You just don't fucking get it," Mario swore back.

"Master Mario! I told you before to not use inappropriate language-"

"And I told _you_ to NOT say that to me again! I'm not a master! I'm not a regal sovereign! I'm not a fucking hero in this goddamn world! I'm just a plumber with a reputation of ruining people's lives!" His temper flared once more as he interrupted Toadsworth to the point that he scared him. He even made Sonic wide-eyed from his tantrum.

"Mario!" Peach repeated as she raised a hand to her mouth.

Daisy was appalled at Mario's language and self-neglect. "Mario, that is not true in any way."

"Yes, it is! Ever since Luigi was gone, I'm nothing but an empty shell. I don't contribute much to this place anymore! Besides, he's the one who saved the kingdom, not me!"

"Okay, I'm going to repeat this, but who the heck is Luigi?"

Mario faced the hedgehog, twitched his right eye, and grunted. "None of your damn business." Sick of being stuck in the heat of the moment, he tramped away from everyone and headed downstairs to the castle doors to make his way home.

Toadsworth shook his head. "And just when I thought I calmed him down. The poor old chap."

"Oh, Mario," Peach clasped her hands. She felt sorrow to see her idol fall apart again. Only this time, it seemed he reached his breaking point. She wondered if he'll ever go back to being the cheerful man he was.

"Was it something I said?"

Everyone turned to Sonic who was completely baffled, and surprisingly concerned. First it was him who accused Mario for being overprotective and inconsiderate. Then it was a role reversal to where the man in red blew his steam off towards him for a reason he's unaware of. He didn't know what to think at this point.

"Sonic, you know how you asked about Luigi?" Peach asked somberly.

"Yeah. Who is he? Is he a friend of his?"

"Well… I think we should explain it to you."

"Or should we show him instead?" Daisy suggested. Peach and Toadsworth promptly knew what she was referring to.

"Show me?"

"I suppose that is a way," declared Toadsworth.

"What are you guys talking about?"

"Come, Sonic. Follow us this way."

Peach led the group with Daisy and Toadsworth following the pink princess. Sonic was the last to move, but he stopped after taking a couple of steps. He looked back at the direction where Mario left everyone. He wondered why he became hostile so suddenly. Was it because he acted this way towards the plumber in the bedroom? Did he push his buttons too far? And why did he feel somewhat guilty? After pondering for a bit, he cleared his mind and followed the others to a place he did not discover in the castle: the garden.

 ** _END OF CHAPTER_**

* * *

 _These last couple of chapters between Mario and Sonic have been traumatic. Is there any way to alleviate the tension? Maybe, maybe not. But next time on New Brotherhood, Sonic will learn about who Luigi truly is. Plus, there will be one more pair meeting up with each other, but it won't be good for our protagonists. Who are the characters I'm referring to? You'll see eventually…_

 _Please review, follow/favorite, and I'll see you guys in Ch. 8! This is TGN, signing off._

* * *

 ** _Post-Chapter Notes:_**

 ** _(1):_** _This 'height' dimension thing between Mario and Sonic has been inconsistent in so many games that I couldn't care less. Hell, there's too many analyses of that on 'Game Theory' (and even though NONE if it is true and no matter how much people hate it, sometimes it's entertaining to watch). But no matter what, the way I look at it, I would say that Sonic is barely taller than Mario (with or without his cap) just because of his large head and quills. However, they seem to be around the same eye level, which ignores the idea of one looking up or down at the other person. In comparison, I would say Luigi is slightly taller than Sonic, even without his hat, but his eye level is higher than both him and Mario. However, this is probably not canon, so debunk me if you don't agree with my point of view. Or at least give me some humorous banter._


	9. Ch 8: Identical Revelations

_A/N: __Most of this author's note doesn't have any relevance to the story because I wanted to clear things up to a guest reviewer since I can't PM them. So feel free to skip towards the start of Ch. 8 (or the last note before the disclaimer)._

 _To Mitha Sentro, I'm going to try my best to answer your questions. I did point out that the last chapter was going to be shorter than the previous ones. And as I try to think of more of the story, they may get progressively shorter, roughly 2000-3000 words (not including A/N's). This isn't guaranteed, but it could be expected. Also, the story is solely focused on Mario and Sonic. Luigi and Tails will be vital in future chapters, but they won't appear for the entire remainder of the fanfic._

 _As for games, I mainly played a lot of Mario games as I grew up: the_ _Super Mario_ _series,_ _Mario Kart_ _,_ _Paper Mario_ _, various sports games, etc. For Sonic, I've only played_ _Sonic Lost World_ _,_ _Sonic Colors_ _, the_ _Mario & Sonic Olympic Games_ _, and a little bit of the first and second classic games. I don't have as much experience with Sonic compared to my vast background on Mario titles. But_ _Sonic Mania_ _and_ _Sonic Forces_ _both look promising to play, so I may purchase both once I get a Switch. I hope that helps out, and thanks for the review!_

 _And as for FairyTalePrincess16, NormanWhitesmith, Steel Fairy, and JustSomeStupidStories101, thanks for your reviews from the last chapter! I appreciate all of them! And best of all, thanks everyone for over_ _ **2000 hits**_ _on_ _New Brotherhood_ _!_

* * *

 _Disclaimer: __I still do not own Mario or Sonic as they belong to Nintendo and Sega, respectively._

* * *

 **Chapter 8:** Identical Revelations

 _Location: Bowser's Castle_

"Urgh… Ow… What the shell?" **_(1)_**

Bowser awoke himself as he laid on his stomach, his arms and legs feeling weak. His heavy weight made him struggle to stand up.

"Hmph… Of course I have to get up on my own without anyone's help. Stupid minions. Where are they when I needed them? Should've asked for backup to carry me back. Damn, my shell hurts. And so do my legs," he scratched his right side.

The Koopa King then took a minute to realize that he was back in his own fortress. Beforehand, the last thing he remembered was a blue blur falling right at him. It attacked Jr., then it hit him. Bowser grunted when he also recalled the princesses escaping before he fell into a state of unconsciousness. He assumed he got transported here when Princess Peach was safe from his clutch.

"Grr… Stupid Mario. I bet he had something to do with that thing, whatever it was, that ruined my plans," he made a fist. "I could have gotten away with Peach that easily knowing how dejected that stupid plumber was at the time."

Then, Bowser noticed two other figures laying on the castle floor. One of them was his son, also lying on his stomach. He, too, must have been sent here from Peach's heart powers. But the second was a ridiculously looking human on his back. A human with an egg-shaped body and scrawny arms and legs. He sported a red jacket with white trim and yellow cuffs, a black one-piece pair of pants, dark blue pince-nez glasses, gray googles on his head, and a long, brown mustache under his peculiar, red nose.

"Huh? Who is that guy?" Bowser asked himself.

"Hmm? Ahh… Ugh, my head hurts," Bowser Jr. stirred on the ground, placing a claw on his forehead. He pushed himself up and noticed his father. "Oh, hey Dad. What just happened?"

The large Koopa glanced at the kid. "Junior, who's that?" he ignored his question.

He looked to his left and saw the fat man lying there. "Huh? I've never seen him before. He doesn't look familiar at all. And he's not even a Koopa!"

Bowser walked over and stood in front of him, examining his attire and condition. Bowser Jr. joined him by his side and did the same thing.

Just then, the two heard him groaning. "Ack… Hoo," he gasped for air. "What the heck?" The man rubbed his temples before opening his eyes, not that Bowser or Jr. could recognize it since he was wearing small glasses. He used his hands to push off from the floor and sit upright. He held and shook his head before noticing the two reptilian creatures looking over him. One thing he noticed was the bearing resemblance between the father and son.

A moment of silence went about for a few seconds inside the dungeon. The kid eventually broke up the awkward moment.

"Umm… who are you?"

"Who are you?" the man inquired.

"I asked you first," Jr. retorted.

He grunted. "I am Doctor Ivo Robotnik, or as my enemies call me, Dr. Eggman."

Jr. stifled a snicker from under his fang-covered bandana. "Heh, Dr. Eggman? No wonder people call you that. Your body is shaped like an egg!"

"Grr… You better watch your mouth, squirt!" he pointed an index finger at the youngster.

"How did you end up in my castle?" asked Bowser.

"Your castle?" he echoed.

When he got up on his feet, he looked at his surroundings. The place was nothing like the Mystic Ruins, the last place he was at before… he got sucked into a black hole. That's when he realized. This was probably where he was sent after the chaos that ensued back on Mobius.

"Hold on, where exactly am I if this is your castle?"

"Are you saying that you're from another place in the Mushroom Kingdom?"

"Mushroom Kingdom? What tomfoolery are you talking about?"

"Man, you sound so clueless, it's like you're from another planet or a completely different world!" Jr. threw his hands up.

"That's because I _am_ from another world, you irritating brat!" Eggman shot back.

"Hey! I'm not a brat! And watch what you say because I'm the heir to the throne of this Koopa Kingdom!"

"Heir? Koopa Kingdom?" Eggman was shocked about the idea that this kid was entitled to such a high status, more so than the fact that he was part of royalty. He turned to the older Koopa. "So that means, you're the king of this place?"

Bowser nodded. "For this region of Dark Land only. I'm the head of the Koopa Troop, always trying to reign over the opposing Mushroom Kingdom and taking control of all worlds."

"I see. Well, I can say we have similar goals of ruling the world. Except I do it back on my home, Mobius, using my robots and large mechanisms."

"Robots? You build them as your henchmen?"

"Sort of. I design the armor and bodies at my private base. Then I stuff all kinds of animals, critters, and any pathetic, little creatures to possess them. Otherwise, I create large weapons and ultimate machines to destroy my archnemesis."

"Isn't that kind of abusive towards those animals that are forced inside the robots?" Jr. wondered. He received a glare from Eggman. "What?"

Bowser was focused on something else. "You have an archnemesis?"

Eggman scowled. "Yeah, some stupid, annoying, high-speed hedgehog. He always keeps ruining my plans. That meddlesome fool somehow manages to escape and avoid all of my security systems, beat up my robots, and save the day! It's so annoying!" He flailed his arms and shook his fists to express his frustration.

"Pfft… so what? At least you don't have to deal with a short, irritating fat man dressed in plumber's clothing always coming here to destroy my castle, defeat my troops, obliterate my airships, and beat me up every time we fight," Bowser crossed his arms.

Eggman stared at Bowser for a second. "What in the name of Mobius are you talking about?"

"I'm talking about the stupid 'hero' of this place. **_Mario_** ," he hissed that name in disgust.

"Well I'm sure this Mario you know probably isn't as irritating as my rival, **_Sonic_** … Sonic the Hedgehog. Ugh, I hate that blue-furred rat!"

"Wait, I thought you said he's a hedgehog?" Junior interrupted.

"I call him a rat and other names as my way of taunting him! Don't you call your enemy stupid stuff like that?!"

"To answer your question, yes. But as for your reaction, take a chill pill or something, dude. Maybe all that fat is making you feel stressed out and so unhappy."

The young Koopa received another glare and growl from the doctor. Even though he couldn't see his eyes from beneath his glasses, he became uncomfortable and ran to hide behind his father's spiky shell.

"I'm not one to dawdle from listening to people's stories, but tell me more about this Sonic character you speak of," Bowser urged.

"I'll do it if you tell me how this Mario manages to be so superior in your world," Eggman replied.

"We can discuss this in my throne room, but I'm not looking forward to it," grumbled Bowser.

"Hey, what about me?" Jr. interjected.

"Do we really need to bring that little tyke along?" Eggman complained.

"I am not a tyke! I may be the youngest Koopa Kid here, but that doesn't mean I should…"

Bowser didn't give him a chance to finish. "Junior, just go to your room. I'd prefer this conversation to be private."

"But, Dad…"

"Junior…" he snarled. To be truthful, Bowser doesn't like to be cross towards his son. He has shown disdain and anger towards him at times, but most of it happens when he's being stubborn and not following orders.

"Fine. I'll go," he huffed heavily and stomped up the stairs to his bedroom.

Bowser closed his eyes and shook his head, feeling somewhat remorseful for his son. He glimpsed back at Eggman.

"This way," he gestured. Bowser led Eggman to a set of double doors guarded by two of his Koopatrols. The tough, spiked harriers opened the entrance to the throne room and closed it once they were alone inside. The doctor and Koopa then began talking about their past experiences and their hatred regarding the red and blue heroes.

* * *

 _Location: Peach's Castle_

The sun was gone by the time the group of four reached the backyard. The sky was a tint of dark blue with a few stars appearing high above. A crescent moon shined behind a couple of misty clouds floating by. Princess Peach, Princess Daisy, and Toadsworth silently led Sonic downstairs where the castle gardens were located. It was the only place the hedgehog did not uncover (excluding Peach's private chambers) while exploring the enormous palace. Along the way, Sonic still had his mind set on two things: one, where his friends could be missing; and two, why Mario lost his temper in front of everyone.

"We're here, Sonic."

The Blue Blur lost his train of thought when the pink princess spoke up. He took a look at the large garden. Tons of shrubberies, plants, bushes, and awnings grew and stood out in an array of colors. The beauty of the flowers caught Sonic's attention, especially the red roses.

Rose. That reminded him of Amy, because it was her last name. The flower also reminded him of Cream, because she adored nature. He reminisced the times he spent with the rabbit admiring and picking blossoms so she could give them to her mother, Vanilla. He touched the petals and closed his eyes as he thought of his friends again.

 _"_ _Amy, Cream… Wherever you are, I just hope you're all safe. If only I knew where you are. And also, I just hope we can get back home safely and quickly."_

"Sonic, this way…" Daisy called sadly.

He reopened his eyes and returned to following the trio after passing by the garden's water fountain. Sonic saw the three stop in front of a familiar monument. And when he arrived, his eyes were glued to the stone figure of a fallen man.

"What is this?"

"Sonic, this is Luigi," Peach introduced solemnly.

"W-What? This… is Luigi?"

Daisy nodded. "Yes. And unfortunately, he's only here in spirit."

"But he'll always be in our hearts, for he has a large one of his own. Such a kind, caring, and gallant man. And most of all, a hero to this kingdom. It's such a shame, really, to lose someone close. And poor Master Mario was affected the most," Toadsworth softly whispered.

The blue hedgehog couldn't believe it. He was being shown _a grave_ of the man Mario discussed about during his conversation with the elderly Toad. Once he realized that Luigi was deceased, he didn't know what to think. He didn't know what to say.

His eyes hovered down to read the epitaph below. He read the first line, noticing that his last name was the same as the red plumber's first. Sonic was slightly confused, but then he read the next line which made him freeze:

 _Younger Brother of Mario 'Jumpman' Mario_

That entire phrase took Sonic a minute to register what that meant, especially when he read the first two words over and over again in his head.

"Mario… has a brother? Or… _had_ a brother?"

Peach bowed her head downward and held her hands on top of her blue brooch. Daisy shut her eyes as tears started to water up, rethinking about her Luigi. Toadsworth held his cane tightly, expressing a distraught face as he wiped a tear dripping down. None of them answered Sonic's question, but it didn't seem necessary to respond as the answer stood right in front of him.

"When did this happen?"

Peach tried to explain to Sonic through her grief. "Two weeks ago, he risked his life and was lost in battle. If only it was the same like every other adventure where he was safe with Mario when they rescued me from the times I got kidnapped. We would always celebrate each victory they helped me and this kingdom from falling under Bowser's reign. Only this one, it was such a different ending that I couldn't believe it. Neither could Mario. And the reason why he acted so harsh to you recently was because of the emotional pain that ruptured his heart."

Daisy had tears fall down that it ruined the mascara under her eyes. She walked over to the fountain and sat on the edge, covering her face. Toadsworth walked up to her and placed a hand on her arm, rubbing it gently to soothe her. Peach and Sonic remained still in front of the tombstone. The princess went back to a moment of silence as she prayed for her best friend.

As for the hedgehog, Sonic was absolutely speechless. He never knew Mario had a younger brother, this one being related to him by blood compared to his own adoptive relationship with Tails. He soon recognized how similar he looked compared to Mario. He had a hat, only with an 'L', to go along with a matching shirt, overalls, boots, gloves, and his own unique mustache. He began to piece together on why Mario felt so miserable, heartbroken, and (most notably) livid not too long ago. Mario lost someone from his biological family. And that individual happened to be his little sibling.

Suddenly, his mind just played a nightmarish flashback. It was a memory of the vehement talk they clashed in the guest room.

…

 _"_ _Are you trying to say that I'm not capable of finding my friends who could be out there in who knows where, possibly on the verge of danger?"_

 _"_ _What? No! I'm trying to say that-"_

 _Sonic didn't let him finish his explanation. He pulled the sheets and jumped off the bed to confront him. "Oh, I know. You're just saying that because you're the so-called hero of this kingdom, you're the one in charge to make the decisions here. You must be_ _ **SO**_ _top-notch that everyone should only listen to_ _ **you**_ _and_ _ **you**_ _only," he jabbed the plumber with his index finger._

 _Mario brought his hand down away from him and mirrored Sonic's gaze. "That is not true! I'm not the one with the responsibility of ruling a kingdom. That's the princess' job!" Mario paused. "No offense," he directed at Peach and then turned back to the stubborn hedgehog. "I don't have the capability of doing that!"_

 _"_ _But you probably like to boss around people doing whatever you want. You should at least let me do what I can."_

 _"_ _I'm not bossing you! I actually care about your health after what has happened to you. You don't have to be obstinate towards me."_

 _"_ _At least_ _ **you're**_ _not the one who lost someone close to you like_ _ **I**_ _did! And I'm not just referring to_ _ **my brother**_ _!"_

…

As if he just got hit in the head, Sonic realized that his mistake was the trigger to Mario's insanity. The last thing he declared that made him storm out of the room, that caused him to slam the door so loudly, that led him to lose his mind in front of Toadsworth, Daisy, Peach, and himself was all his fault. His fault for not knowing about Mario's past. His fault for being uptight when he jumped to conclusions by questioning the role of the red hero. His fault for making him relive sad thoughts when he popped the word 'brother' up. The preliminary guilt that roamed inside began to grow to the point where he started to feel sick to his stomach.

"Excuse me, guys. But, could I have a minute to myself?"

"Of course, Mister Sonic," Toadsworth obliged. "Ladies…"

The girls didn't hesitate to follow the Toad's gesture, and they walked away from the grave.

Peach caught her friend in a state of sadness. "It's okay, Daisy," she comforted her.

"I understand that you're trying to make me feel better, Peach. But I can't help it. And besides, I have to return to Sarasaland tomorrow morning. And going back to his grave one last time will make it tough for me to let go," she moped, wiping her tears.

Peach frowned, for she felt bad for her, alongside Mario. Speaking of him, she wondered how her special one was handling things right now. Who knows what Mario was up to this time at night? She stopped momentarily to turn around and look at Sonic, still standing in front of the green man's grave.

"Princess?" she heard Toadsworth call her.

Peach sighed, emotional hurt tearing up her heart. She followed her advisor inside the castle without saying a single word.

Sonic was now all alone in the garden as he reread the words etched on the statue's base. He didn't have anything to say as he was still shocked from the revelation that Luigi was Mario's brother. And to also learn that he passed away brought back the horrible nightmare of his own brother, Tails, dying in front of him.

He sat down on the grass and looked up at the Luigi statue, showing off a bright smirk with his lips. If only he could do the same thing like he's done all the time in his previous adventures. But this wasn't the right time as it was a sad moment when he learned that Mario lost someone special to his heart, just like he did. Now, there was another question that rang in his mind.

 _"_ _What exactly happened?"_

Unable to contemplate, Sonic buried his face in his hands. And not too long after, a teardrop escaped his eyes.

* * *

Bowser was sitting in his large throne, his right fist supporting his head while listening to Eggman who stood in front of him from ten feet away. The doctor recounted some specific adventures. He transformed Sonic into a werehog leading to the events of defeating Dark Gaia; he built an interstellar theme park in space only to be ruined by Sonic and the alien Wisps; he even formed an alliance with him to prevent the Deadly Six from consuming all life on the Lost Hex and tried to destroy him after being separated (only to have half his mustache gone afterwards). The list kept going on and on of the multiple failures Eggman encountered from his archrival. **_(2)_**

The other villain reciprocated Eggman's anger by explaining his own experiences. Most of them had to deal with him or his son kidnapping the Princess of the Mushroom Kingdom, only for Mario to rescue her and defeat his minions and himself countless times. Specific instances occurred at her castle when he sealed her within the castle's stained-glass window, when his son polluted Isle Delfino and ruined Mario's summer vacation, and trying to rule the entire universe, _twice_ , using the power of the Grand Stars. They were more losses Bowser can remember, but thinking about all those defeats made him infuriated than before. **_(3)_**

"And here I thought I had worse issues against my opponent. You tried to take over the universe from space?" Eggman asked with shock in his voice.

"Yeah, but that didn't work both times. Even when I take over the princess' castle or kidnap her so many damn times, Mario always comes to foil everything! Don't you find it annoying when your diabolic plans get ruined by some stupid person?" snorted Bowser.

"How do you think I feel when I get outwitted by a cocky, blue rodent?"

"Well try getting stomped on your head and whacked by hammers from a guy who's not as tall as the princess." Bowser ran a claw through his red hair. "If only there was a way to get rid of him just like Greenie."

"Greenie?" Eggman was confused.

"Oh, you don't know him. But he's Mario's brother. No cares about him though, not even me for one bit. Besides, he's dead for all I know. He pushed him out of the way of my Bowser Death Ray Cannon." **_(4)_**

 _"_ _Wow, and Sonic tells me that I have horrible names for my weapons,"_ he thought to himself. "You just mentioned his death so nonchalantly. No chill at all. Then again, I went through similar circumstances."

"You did?"

"Well technically, Sonic's 'little brother' sacrificed his life getting hurt by my own death ray. It didn't have an official name, but it was supposed to kill Sonic. Only for his fox sidekick to run up and take the hit instead."

"Fox? How is a hedgehog related to a fox?"

"Adoption. It isn't rocket science."

Bowser understood his point. In fact, he adopted the seven Koopalings to work under his rule to defeat Mario. But they, too, received the same treatment from the red hero and his friends. **_(5)_**

"Anyways, I tried to eliminate Sonic and his friends with my same weapon earlier, but that only led to me getting sucked in this black hole that was created on impact from a missed shot. The next thing I know, I woke up in your castle, nowhere near Mobius that I'm sure of. And I don't know what happened to that hedgehog, but I can only assume he got sucked in as well."

Bowser was silent, slowly taking in his words. Then, he thought of an idea. "You must be determined to abolish him like I am with Mario. How about I cut you a deal?"

"What sort of deal?" Eggman raised an eyebrow.

"If you can help me destroy Mario for good, I'll help you defeat this Sonic and find some way for you to return to your home world."

"And what can I do to convince me to join your pact?"

"You say you're skilled at building war machines, robots, and all that stuff, right?" Eggman nodded at him. "Well I have a place in my castle where my minions build airships and store ammunition. How about I lend you some of my Koopa Troop army to help you tweak out my vehicles into whatever you desire? Or you can create anything you want from scratch if you're as smart and technical as you claim. And as long as you're with me, we can be unstoppable!"

The doctor did boast earlier about having an IQ of 300. But his smarts have been outsmarted by a speedy, cocky creature with a deformity. But maybe, with the help of a ferocious, strong ally and his own horde of baddies, he could be more powerful than he was before. The only difference was that he'll have to share the glory. But if it meant getting rid of their foes, likewise with their younger brothers, it could be beneficial for both villains.

"Hmm… I guess that's a fair trade-off. I'll accept the terms!" He held out his hand.

Bowser stood up from his chair and walked down to him. The two shook and authorized their deal.

"Excellent! We'll discuss more about this first thing in the morning."

"Well in that case, I need a place to stay."

"Oh yeah, right. Hey, guards! Come in here!" The king ordered the two Koopatrols from outside the room to enter. They bowed in front of their master.

"What is your request, Lord Bowser?" they said simultaneously.

"Take our guest to a bedroom for the night." He stared at Eggman. "Make yourself comfortable, partner," he finished with an evil grin.

Dr. Eggman mirrored his face. "I must thank you for this grateful opportunity. That intrusive plumber of yours will soon be gone from your life."

"And the same will be done for that blue hedgehog, too."

Eggman gave a small salute before the guards escorted him to his room. Bowser remained in his position, rubbing his hands malevolently.

"Mark my words, Mario! You're gonna finally be done for, just like your pitiful, little brother! BWAHAHAHA!"

Just then, a voice interrupted his evil laugh. "Dad! Dad!"

Bowser stopped roaring and looked down to find his son. "Junior! I told you to be in your room!"

"I was going to, but then I came across these people that I found in the castle. Actually, Kamek found them."

"What are you talking about? Are you saying they infiltrated my fortress?!"

"No, they were found unconscious. He has them locked in one of the dungeons. Come see for yourself!"

Jr. ran ahead out of the throne room to lead the way. Bowser reluctantly followed his son to see what the big deal was.

 ** _END OF CHAPTER_**

* * *

 _This is NOT good, NOT good at all. Bowser and Dr. Eggman have crossed paths and joined forces with each other, keen on putting an end to their enemies. What will our villains come up with? And who are the people Jr. referred to?_

 _On the other side of the story, Sonic discovered the truth: Luigi was Mario's deceased brother. He took the news very badly, but he also wanted to know what exactly occurred that caused his death. And that's what he'll find out in the next chapter. Not only that, but how's Mario coping through this pain?_

 _Please let me know how this one went. Review, follow/favorite, and I'll see you guys in Ch. 9. This is TGN, signing off._

* * *

 ** _Post-Chapter Notes:_**

 ** _(1):_** _I'm not the first one to use or think of this phrase involving a shell pun. I thought it was clever and fitting for Bowser, but I did not come up with this._

 _ **(2):** The games I referenced here were __Sonic Unleashed_ _,_ _Sonic Colors_ _, and_ _Sonic Lost World_ _._

 _ **(3):** The games I described in this part were __Super Mario 64_ _,_ _Super Mario Sunshine_ _, and_ _Super Mario Galaxy_ _(1 & 2)._

 _ **(4):** I marginally changed the name of Bowser's weapon to distinguish the difference between that and Eggman's death ray gun. I also edited this in the previous chapters that mentioned it._

 _ **(5):** My preference for the origin of the Koopalings is that they're portrayed as Bowser's adopted children, meaning that they're not biologically related to him. I even preferred this in my first story, __Hidden Bravery_.


	10. Ch 9: Flowing Emotions

_A/N:_ _I feel proud that I'm motivated to write more of this story. The irony is that this is more upsetting rather than relieving, if that's the right term to use. Thank you NormanWhitesmith, Steel Fairy, and FairyTalePrincess16 for your reviews as usual. And now, we'll move on with another chapter of New Brotherhood!_

* * *

 _Disclaimer:_ _I only take credit for the story plot and nothing else._

* * *

 **Chapter 9:** Flowing Emotions

 _Location: Mario's House_

Mario came out of the kitchen after brewing a kettle of Mushroom Tea. Holding a cup in his hand and a tiny plate under it, he went over to his living room couch and slouched on the cushion. He took a sip and placed the drink down on the coffee table. He then reached over to grab a small, brown book with a red bookmark and a pen attached to the front cover. Mario turned on the lamp beside him and opened it to reveal the page he last left off, the page featuring his most recent, or rather his first, entry in his journal.

…

 _Month X, Day X **(1)**_

 _Dear Journal, or Diary, whatever is preferred,_

 _This is the first time I'm writing my thoughts on something private to express my feelings. The thing is, I got this from Luigi. I discovered several years ago that he had a private diary hidden in our basement. And being the curious idiot that I am, I took some peeks reading his most private discussions. Most of them showed his jealousy for me being on adventures, one came from the time Bowser carried Peach's Castle to the sky and I had to rescue the captured Star Spirits to save her. Meanwhile, he just looked after our house. I hated myself for invading his privacy, but there was some intriguing stories where I just couldn't put it down. **(2)** And that's when I realized…_

 _It took me a moment to realize that I wasn't being fair to Luigi. But most of the time, I didn't want him to hurt himself in our adventures. After he rescued me from that horrid mansion King Boo set up, I thought he needed some time off to calm his nerves. But it didn't really help when I decided to leave for a summer trip to Isle Delfino with Princess Peach and her Toad advisors, and look where THAT got him. He was so mad that he ignored me for a while. It took some time for me to explain and apologize. Luckily, he didn't hold his grudge for so long. And that's what I like about him. He isn't a belligerent man, and thank heavens he was taught right by our parents._

 _But now, life will never be the same without him. All of the adventures, the parties, the sports events, the kart races, the fight tournaments, everything that he was a part of… It won't be as fun and memorable as they used to be._

 _Oh, Luigi… I miss you so much. I'm sorry for going through your diary. And I'm sorry I couldn't save you from Bowser. How I wish I could just turn back the clock. How I wish I could get a second chance… A second chance to prevent your demise…_

 _~Mario_

…

Mario grimaced after glimpsing over the entry he wrote. He grabbed his cup and drank his tea again. At least the healing effects of the Mushroom helped soothe his mind, even if it was minor. He took his pen, clicked it to reveal the roller ball tip, and began writing on the following page.

…

 _Month X, Day XO_

 _Dear Journal,_

 _This day has been one of the strangest times I have experienced since I stepped foot in the Mushroom Kingdom. It didn't start off like that though. It was the usual: just me visiting the castle and going up to my brother's grave to send my daily condolence. Then, it all went downhill, starting with Bowser's invasion._

 _That damn bastard sought for vengeance after what happened with Luigi. And for him to not care about him (which is his style), let alone call him 'Greenie' or anything besides his real name, pushed my buttons to a new low. Peach and Daisy helped me out in the battle before I got distracted with Jr. And just when I saw Bowser attempting to kidnap both of them, that's when the strange part occurred._

…

Mario paused for a moment to take another sip of his Mushroom Tea.

…

 _Out of nowhere, a blue blur came flying from the sky and interfered with the Koopas. Apparently, it was a blue hedgehog that stopped them. The princesses were free at least, but we were overly shocked at this random incident. Peach was able to send Bowser and Jr. back to their castle. Afterwards, we decided to do something to this creature. He was unconscious at the moment._

 _It was around the afternoon, after several hours that Toadsworth told us that he heard a noise in the bedroom the hedgehog rested in. The case was that he was awake, but the scream made me wondered what was wrong. I assumed it was a nightmare he had. But anyways, we finally got to introduce each other. Well, I only tipped my hat to him while Peach went through the whole meet and greet. He then introduced himself, saying that his name was Sonic the Hedgehog who came from some place called Mobius. It seemed like a fitting name if he claims to be faster than the speed of sound. But that's beside the point._

 _Sonic briefly mentioned about his past and tried to remember how he managed to warp in our dimension. But the one thing that caught my attention was the fact that he had a younger brother. An adopted younger brother, a two-tailed fox, to be specific. Whoever he was, he must be so young and innocent like most kids, but he must have shown more than what people bargain for. Sonic explained that he was a genius mechanic and a flying enthusiast by exploiting his birth defect, which are his two tails. He apparently helped this hedgehog on many adventures after teaching him the works on how to defend himself in fights, including their biggest nemesis. I think Sonic said his name was Dr. Eggman, a fat scientist who deploys robots and large machines to take them down. Just from hearing his story, the duo seemed inseparable. That is, until, he died in battle…_

…

This time, the red plumber took a bathroom break. He washed his hands and face before returning to the couch. He held the journal and pen in his hands again to continue his prolonged entry.

…

 _What happened after that was a mix of emotions: irritation, distress, you name it. Sonic was worried that his missing friends were also sent to our world and he wanted to go find them. He didn't even want us to help. Then I spoke up to say that he should relax instead, considering he was knocked out for six hours. That's when he became confrontational in front of me. He was furious towards me. I tried to handle the situation, but his attitude was delving into my skin. Eventually, he said something that almost made me lose my shit._

 _He said, quote,_ "At least you're not the one who lost someone close to you like I did! And I'm not just referring to my brother!" _End quote._

…

Mario sipped the remaining contents of his hot beverage.

…

 _Those words went into one ear and out the other, only for it reenter in my head. It took me a few seconds to burst out of the room, and Toadsworth was not happy. He entered the castle library to scorn me. At the very least, he calmed down and convinced me to explain my irrational behavior. But during that discussion, I barely heard Sonic talking to Daisy in the hallway, later joined by Peach. They must have been listening to us. Well, more like Sonic was. I tried to even his playing field by going up to his face. I probably shouldn't have done that, to be frank. Because THAT was when I hit my breaking point. I went crazy and red-faced in front of everybody. After all that drama, I had to leave. However, I was mainly mad at myself instead of Sonic. But I was heartbroken and passionate for my brotherly love with Luigi._

 _And now here I am, writing this pathetic excuse of a journal entry to let out my exasperation. I'm finished with my tea, but I don't feel tired to sleep just yet. Maybe playing on my guitar will help me feel better. In other words, I wish everything will be resolved soon._

 _~Mario_

…

Mario looked around his living room, but he couldn't find his musical instrument. It wasn't next to his couch, the coffee table, the TV; and he knew it wasn't upstairs in any of the bedrooms.

The plumber facepalmed himself as he suddenly recalled. "Shoot, I let Toadette borrow it. I forgot she was practicing for the Mushroom City Concert next month. Must be at the castle then. I hope she doesn't mind me asking for it though."

Mario marked the page of his journal and set it down on the table. He carried his empty teacup to the kitchen sink. After washing, he turned off all the lights and locked up the house. He strolled over to the green pipe and entered inside.

* * *

 _Location: Peach's Castle_

Sonic returned to the castle interior after sitting in the garden alone. He was still shaken by the discovery that Mario had a younger sibling in his family. Even though he now knew who Luigi was, he didn't learn about his character and the cause of his death, other than the fact that he sacrificed his life. It was probably something dreadful that caused Mario to become inconsolable. Seeking for answers, he decided to see the princess again. She was the one who explained the general story. But Sonic wanted more details.

He reached the second floor of the palace and found a door with a large, pink heart insignia in the middle and heart-shaped doorknobs crafted in gold. He had a very good hunch this was Peach's bedroom. He knocked on the door three times.

"Who is it?" a voice called from inside.

"It's me, Sonic," he answered.

There was no immediate response. But seconds later, the princess walked over to unlock her door. She saw the hedgehog standing in the hallway. Sonic noticed that she was wearing a sleeveless, light pink nightgown instead of her royal dress.

"Hello, Sonic. What are you doing here?" she politely asked.

"Princess Peach. I…" he twiddled his thumbs nervously. "I was wondering…"

"Yes?"

Sonic stretched his lips to the side. "I'm not sure if you're comfortable about this, and you don't have to, but… I was kind of wondering if you told me more about Luigi and how he…"

Peach knew where he was going that she didn't need to wait for him to finish his statement.

"I see. Um, why don't you come on in? Make yourself comfortable."

"Thanks."

Sonic entered the large bedroom and noticed how pink and inviting it was. It was so pink that it reminded him of Amy again.

 _"Damn, why do I keep thinking of her? She's been on my mind ever since she tried to tell me something before she got lost in the black hole."_

"Sonic? Are you okay?"

He looked over at Peach. She must have noticed how troubled he was that she addressed her concern.

"Uh, yeah. I'm fine. Sorry."

"It's okay. Take a seat, please."

Sonic laid back in a royal chair in front of her large dresser, which boasted a mirror, drawers, and compartments for her makeup and accessories. He rotated the seat to face the princess who sat on the edge of her queen-sized mattress.

"Okay, Sonic. I'll ask you this once to confirm. Are you sure you want to hear about all this involving Luigi?"

The hedgehog took a minute to reconsider his choice. The princess wasn't impatient for him to decide, but he made a quick settlement so he wouldn't make her wait.

"Yes, I would like to know."

Peach breathed in gently before taking a small exhale. She began to explain about the green-clad man.

"Okay. Here goes. Luigi, as you already know, is Mario's younger brother. The first time I met him was when he and Mario rescued me from Bowser when he planted a curse on the kingdom and imprisoned me in his castle. Since the day they rescued me, I have become close with the brothers for so long, especially Mario. As for Luigi, we were best friends. However, there was a moment where he admitted that he once loved me."

"Loved you?"

"Well, the feeling was sort of mutual. He loved me for the same reasons Mario did. I loved him as a friend though, yet I could understand why he felt that way. He was sort of disappointed about my relationship with Mario, but he didn't mind at all. Because he was so caring and unselfish that he wanted me and him to be happy. He had no intention of wanting to interfere or break us up. I actually felt sad that he would be so kind in that manner. He had been a third wheel for so long, I wanted to do something to cheer him up. And that's when I introduced him to my friend, Daisy, whom you have met earlier. He was immediately smitten by her. It was love at first sight and I couldn't be happier for both of them."

Peach showed a small smile and giggled, reminiscing the time she witnessed her friend's face the moment he locked eyes with the flower princess. Sonic allowed her to continue, listening curiously.

"As for his personality, other than his benevolent demeanor, he can be shy, timid, and scared of almost everything. But sometimes, he could step up to do anything in his power. He has been a valuable contributor throughout his adventures. But most of the time, he was stuck in his brother's shadow for years that he's not as recognizable as Mario. There are certain factors on why it's like that, but he had recently came out of his shell to show how he was just as skilled and helpful. He fought his fear of ghosts when he rescued Mario from an evil ghost king. Twice, in fact."

Sonic widened his eyes in surprise, but he remained quiet as the princess discussed more.

"I've always appreciated Mario and Luigi for the work they've done to protect this kingdom. I could always count on them and have the utmost confidence waiting for them to save the day. But now, I could only rely on one brother ever since… he was gone."

Peach scrunched her face depressingly as the dreadful scene of Luigi's death replayed in her head. Meanwhile, the hedgehog took a glance at her and saw how uncomfortable she was. He opted to let her take a break or stop in the case she might break down.

"Princess Peach, if you don't want to continue, then I won't mind. I don't want to see you cry."

"No, Sonic. I'll try to finish as quickly as I can."

Peach took the next couple of minutes to let Sonic visualize Luigi's death scene in Bowser's dungeon. As she described the horrid outcome, her heart and body felt cold to the skin. She remembered how the green plumber pushed Mario out of the way, only for him to get hurt by the fatal laser. And she recalled seeing his poor, gentle face one last time before he gave his last regards and let out his last breath. By the time she got to the funeral part of the story, she almost lost it in front of Sonic. Tears started to well up in her blue eyes. She pinched her hands tightly in her lap. She gulped and took a deep breath to compose herself.

Sonic decided that he heard enough information. Plus, he felt guilt-ridden for making Peach relive the sad memories.

"I'm so sorry, Princess. I wished I would have known about this earlier. Otherwise, I wouldn't have offended Mario."

Peach was a little shocked to hear that. "Sonic, you didn't mean to in the first place. And you never knew about Luigi or anything before since you suddenly appeared in our world. It's not entirely your fault."

Sonic stood up and put his hands out in front of him. "No. I crossed a line for being judgmental and rude to him. I need to go apologize. Thanks for the favor, though."

Before Peach could get another word out, the hedgehog sped out of her chamber. She sighed sadly and looked at her reflection in the mirror. The princess walked over to the dresser and picked up a picture frame. The photograph inside featured the quartet of the Mario Bros. and the princesses altogether standing in front of the castle. But she was only focusing on the green hero.

"Luigi…" she whispered.

By the time Sonic ran out of the princess' room, he made haste towards the front entrance and was about to open the doors.

However, someone else did it for him.

The blue hedgehog bumped into the person in front of him, whom he didn't expect at all. The two went tumbling on the stone bridge until they finally stopped.

Sonic grunted and rubbed his head in pain. "Ugh, Chaos…"

He looked up and glared at the individual who was in his way. Then, his eyes widened when he realized who he ran into. The person had a glower of his own.

"M-Mario…"

 ** _END OF CHAPTER_**

* * *

 _I didn't want to end this scene. But to your discontent, sorry, no segue here. The two protagonists face each other once again. How will their meetup turn out this time? And for those wondering when Luigi and Tails will be seen again, they'll pop up first thing in the next chapter._

 _Once again, thanks for reading! Be sure to follow/favorite if you enjoy the story so far and leave a review to let me know how I did! Until we meet again, this is TGN, signing off._

* * *

 ** _Post-Chapter Notes:_**

 ** _(1):_** _Apparently in Paper Mario & Paper Mario: TTYD, the citizens of the Mushroom World REALLY know how to label their dates. They have these 'calendars' where the days and months are denoted by a bunch of random symbols. You could probably find one on Google. But on FFN, the only suitable characters I could use were 'X' and 'O'._

 ** _(2):_** _Going back to Paper Mario (N64), I was referencing Luigi's diary found below the brothers' shared bedroom. It featured entries revolving around his jealousy of his brother, some witty dialogue, or just his own thoughts. _

_(For the record, the numbers are NOT part of Mario's journal entries. They're just there for my Post-Chapter Notes.)_


	11. Ch 10: Much-Needed Apologies

_A/N: My goal is to write and upload two more chapters for this story before I begin my next year of college. From there,  New Brotherhood will, __unfortunately,_ _be on hiatus again. Nonetheless, I appreciate all the hits, reviews, and feedback from you guys! Other than that, I hope you enjoy this one, because things are starting to get brighter!_

* * *

 _Disclaimer: I only own the story plot. Mario and Sonic belong to Nintendo and Sega._

* * *

 **Chapter 10:** Much-Needed Apologies

 _Location: The Overthere_

Luigi had escorted his new friend, Tails, to see various landmarks and meet the citizens who lived in the cloudy heavens. At one point, he introduced Rebbi, Yebbi, and Blubi: the three guardians who gifted the prophetic heroes colored orbs to build the Rainbow Bridge that led to Grambi's temple. Like Luigi, they were intrigued by the fox's twin tails and happily welcomed him. In return, Tails was fascinated with the people and the landscape. During their walk, Luigi explained his background on his first visit to the Overthere.

"So you, your brother, a princess, and a ferocious monster teamed up to find these Pure Hearts?" asked Tails.

"Mm-hmm," Luigi nodded. "One of them was in this world here. After speaking with Queen Jaydes, we escorted Luvbi, that female Nimbi we saw talking to Grambi, earlier, to the Overthere. To be honest, she may be energetic, but kind of irritating and headstrong to deal with because of her attitude.

"By the time we made it here, the Nimbis were ambushed and attacked by the Skellobit army, these hellish skeleton figures who escaped from the depths of the Underwhere. One of those creatures was Bonechill, a blue-scaled dragon we fought in Grambi's temple when he sought the Pure Heart. We eventually found out that Luvbi _was_ the Pure Heart all along. Once we defeated him and learned the truth, it was a sad moment as she ceased to exist and reverted to the Pure Heart. But after we saved all the dimensions, she inexplicably came back to life! Grambi and Jaydes were grateful to be reunited with her because together they were like family…"

Luigi stopped walking and paused for a moment as he stared out into the sky. That caused Tails to stop, too.

"Family. They were together, as a family."

Tails looked at Luigi as he sadly lowered his eyelids. The way he described the King and Queen's relationship with Luvbi reminded him of the way he and Sonic treated one another, regardless of their history. In both cases, albeit they weren't related, their love and trust was strong to create an unbreakable bond. For Luvbi, she appreciated her mother and father for helping her grow into a mature angel. For Tails, he respected Sonic for giving him the opportunity to live a normal life, have friends, and be cared for.

It took a few seconds for Luigi to realize that he was going off track. He shook his head and turned to the kitsune.

"Sorry, Tails. I got distracted."

"It's okay, Luigi. You didn't mean to. But all that talk about family makes me miss Sonic more than before."

The plumber felt guilty and sighed. The fox didn't have anything else to say as well, so it was awkward silence between the two as they continued strolling across the clouds. Their minds were pinned to their older brothers, wondering how things were going down in their worlds. Little did they know that both of them were in the same dimension, currently in an uncomfortable scenario.

* * *

 _Location: Peach's Castle_

 _By the time Sonic ran out of the princess' room, he made haste towards the front entrance and was about to open the doors._

 _However, someone else did it for him._

 _The blue hedgehog bumped into the person in front of him, whom he didn't expect at all. The two went tumbling on the stone bridge until they finally stopped._

 _Sonic grunted and rubbed his head in pain. "Ugh, Chaos…"_

 _He looked up and glared at the individual who was in his way. Then, his eyes widened when he realized who he ran into. The person had a glower of his own._

 _"M-Mario…"_

…

Indeed, the red plumber was on his bottom, rubbing his forehead which was where it hurt from the unexpected accident. He stared at Sonic, wondering what his deal was.

"Sonic," he spoke in a neutral tone. He got up on his own, dusted his clothes off, and offered his hand to him.

The hedgehog blinked. _"Isn't he mad at me? Why is he helping?"_

Nonetheless, he reached his right arm out and Mario grasped his hand to help him on his feet.

"T-thanks," he stuttered.

Mario nodded and walked past him into the castle. Sonic turned around, confused.

"Hey, didn't you say you were going home or something like that?"

The plumber stopped moving and turned his head. "I just forgot something here. I'm going to be in and out in a second."

Mario entered the castle lobby. But before he could walk any further, Sonic dashed in front of his path.

"Sonic, what are you doing? Can you please excuse me?"

"Hold on, Mario. I really need to talk to you. It's very important."

"I don't really feel like talking, Sonic. I still haven't blown off my steam yet. _Even though most of my angst is towards myself_ ," he bitterly thought the last sentence.

"Mario, please. I'm not one to beg someone to listen to me. But I have to get this off my chest. Just give me a minute, and I'll leave you alone and won't bother you again if it makes you happy."

Mario didn't want to get into another argument, considering he started the last one. He sighed, "Okay, shoot. What is it that's on your mind?"

The Blue Blur took in a deep breath and let it out. He looked at the plumber with sympathy drawn in his green eyes.

"Mario, about the fight I caused earlier, when I confronted you in front of the princess and Toadsworth, I'm very sorry, for two reasons. One, I didn't mean to let my ego get the best of me. You see, ever since I lost Tails, my other friends were the closest people I had left. And to see them disappear from me, I was torn. I always kept believing they were out there somewhere, but I couldn't help but worry about them. I didn't want to lose them like I did with my little buddy. When you gave me the option to sit down and relax, I refused to. Because I felt like I had the need to do something. I was a hero to them before, and if I let them down, I let myself down. But that's no excuse on why I acted like a jerk to you. I should have been more professional about it. So, I'm sorry about that."

Mario crossed his arms and raised an eyebrow. "What's the second reason?"

"They showed me who Luigi was."

Mario lowered his head and closed his eyes when the name of his brother came up. Sonic noticed him feeling tense and put a hand up in defense.

"Wait, I didn't mean to make you feel worse."

He raised his head to face him again. "No, it's not that."

"Then what's up?"

"Nothing," he dismissed. "What about him?"

Sonic gulped. "When I found about Luigi and how he was related to you, I was speechless. I only learned the gist of how he passed away before asking Princess Peach about the whole story."

 _"I gotta remind myself to apologize to her again for doing so,"_ he contemplated before talking to Mario again.

"I learned how he's your younger brother, how critical of a role he portrayed in your life and for this kingdom, and the fact that you even had someone in your biological family. And the fact that he's gone made me realize what I said to you, about losing someone personal, was judgmental of myself. Because I didn't know about your past. And, that's mostly, or probably, all my fault for hurting your feelings. If I caused any heartbreak, I never meant to upset you, emotionally or physically. And I'm sorry for that, too."

Sonic turned his gaze away from the plumber and rubbed his arm once he apologized to him. He felt relieved to show his regret for being mean to Mario. But he was still guilty after all the drama that went down. Now that he ended his apology, he didn't expect what the man in red did next.

From the corner of his eye, he took a quick glance and saw Mario looking down on the carpet with a sad look. His blue eyes began to water and his bottom lip was bit to refrain himself from crying.

"Sonic…" He managed to get the hedgehog's attention. "You're not the only one to apologize. I'm sorry as well."

"Huh? What are you talking about?"

"I'm referring to my erratic and inappropriate behavior of how I treated you when we were in front of the library. The fact I swore in front of everyone to get into your face was by no means the most ethical decision. I made myself look like a fool. That's mainly the reason why I lost my control. Your words were just the trigger to my insanity, but it technically wasn't your fault. I just… I just couldn't function properly ever since Luigi sacrificed his life for mine. And, after hearing about your experience with your own best friend and brother, I felt some connection that we shared a similarity, despite how dark it is. The best I wanted to do was help you. But because of my big mouth, I apparently made things worse."

Sonic shook his head in disagreement. "No, Mario. I was the one to say those mean things to you when I got hostile."

"But _I_ made it _worse_."

"Again, you're wrong, Mario. If I hadn't been so rough against you, our fight wouldn't have started in the first place. Besides, I now appreciate your concern for trying to support me. Then again, I should have been grateful for you offering to assist me earlier. But what I'm trying to say is that you're better than this. From what I've heard, you're a hero to this place, and you should take pride in that role. Even if…"

Sonic paused to think of his phrasing without hurting Mario's feelings.

"Even if what?"

"Even if… you blame yourself for a mistake, regardless if you were the direct cause or not, don't demoralize yourself. Even if you say you were the reason why Luigi died, you can't pin the blame on yourself forever. You shouldn't let your emotions eat up inside you. Otherwise, there's no hope. No good feelings. Nothing."

The hedgehog took a moment to rest his hand on Mario's shoulder for comfort. Mario didn't flinch, but a chill went down his spine.

"Trust me. I've been there when I felt like I couldn't save Tails. You may not know about him, and I may not know Luigi too much, but we surprisingly have something in common. And if we both beat ourselves down, that ruins our pride of who we used to be. We can't just sit out around and mope. I mean, I'm not saying that you shouldn't stop thinking about your family. But, sometimes you gotta look towards the future. It could get brighter someday. Sure, it may take some time to move on. Believe me, I still haven't done it with my buddy. But all I'm saying is that you shouldn't feel bad about yourself."

Mario finally looked up to his counterpart after that serious talk. He saw something in Sonic's eyes that showed how honest he was to express his sympathy. No signs of sarcasm, hate, or distrust.

"Have you always been this good at making others feel better?"

Sonic sheepishly gave him a small smile. "Heh, well, I've done it several times with Tails whenever he got scared or was feeling down. And it happens with my other friends, too."

"Well, I have to say. Frankly, I feel much better right now, thanks to you," Mario showed a small smile of his own.

That made Sonic's grin wider. "No problem, Mario. I'm there for you."

Mario took a minute to register what he said. "So, does that mean we're good?"

"I mean, only if you're okay with my apology, because I forgive you for your outburst."

"Yes. I forgive you, Sonic."

Mario stretched his right hand to the hedgehog. Sonic accepted it and shared a handshake. Both of them smiled more than before now that their conflicts and anger were off the table.

"Oh, my! Now this is a sight to see!"

The two shifted their heads to see the brown Toad, taking his time walking down the stairs with his cane.

"Toadsworth. What are you doing here?" asked Mario.

"Why, I should ask you the same question. Why are _you_ here?" he asked by the time he stood in front of the heroes.

"Oh, that reminds me. I was going to ask Toadette if I could get my guitar back."

Sonic was surprised. "Guitar? I didn't know you played."

"I only use it once in a while, just to calm my nerves. But anyways," he turned back to Toadsworth. "Sonic and I sort of had a run-in. Well, technically, he ran into me when I returned to the castle. But we shook it off. After that, we had some small talk and in the end, we seem to be on good terms now."

"Is this true, Mister Sonic?" the Toad inquired.

"Yeah, we did. I guess that makes us friends now. If you're okay with that."

Mario grinned at him. "I guess so."

"I must say, I am glad that you two have settled things down."

"Well, not really."

"What do you mean?" Toadsworth tilted his head. Sonic was also curious on what Mario was talking about.

"I have to apologize to you and everyone else for my misbehavior. It was wrong of me to act the way I did earlier. I am really sorry that I made things awkward."

Toadsworth was silent for a few seconds, but then nodded. "Master Mario, I accept your apology. And I appreciate your concern after what transpired. Just promise me you won't do it again."

"I'll try my best not to."

"Thank you, Mario. Well, I better get to bed soon. You two should also rest up. And Master Sonic… Oops, I mean… Actually, do you prefer to be called that or should I call you Mister?"

Sonic shook his head in amusement. "Heh, it's okay. I'm perfectly fine with just Sonic. But if you want to call me one name or the other, I'm not against it."

"Jolly good! Anyways, I hope you get plenty of rest. You're more than welcome to stay in the same guest room. And first thing tomorrow morning, we'll do anything we can to help find your friends!"

"And that is what's gonna happen. I'll find my friends." Sonic looked at Mario with his signature smirk. "But not without a little help."

Mario mirrored his face. "We'll find them soon. You can count on it. I'll be there for you, like you said."

Toadsworth covered his mouth as he yawned. "It's getting late now. Good night, Masters Mario and Sonic."

"Good night, Toadsworth," they both responded.

They watched him walk back up the stairs. After a moment of silence, the hedgehog went back to another topic.

"So, about your guitar?"

"Oh yeah. I forgot about that again. Thanks, Sonic. Chances are Toadette is in the ballroom, because that's where she usually practices her music. Do you want to come with me?"

"Sure!"

The two started walking up the stairs. Along the way, Sonic looked back at Mario, which made the plumber curious again.

"What?"

"You know, I'm really grateful you helped me recover after I warped to your world."

"Yeah, well, I'm glad that you conveniently stopped Bowser, even if you didn't remember."

Sonic chuckled as they turned a corner. "Thanks, Mario."

Mario smiled back at him. "You're welcome, Sonic. And thank you, too."

As they continued walking, both thought how fate managed to bring them together. Although their first meet-up went horribly awry, and it got progressively worse, they were able to forgive and forget their issues. Now, the two became friends. However, this was only the beginning of their new relationship.

* * *

Luigi and Tails crossed the Rainbow Bridge as they made their way to Grambi's temple to rest. But since they're angels, they just flew over and admired the scenery down below. The only exception was that Tails used his namesakes to fly instead of his wings. When Luigi learned about this, he was utterly shocked.

"Wow! I didn't know you could fly with your tails!"

"Oh yeah! I forgot to even tell you about that! But you know, having two of them wasn't all that great."

"Really?"

"When I was a kid, I grew up on Cocoa Island. But I was only an orphan. I didn't have any history on who my parents were. The people who lived there only bullied and neglected me for my deformity. I was so miserable and lonely at the time. Eventually, I ended up saving the place against the Battle Bird Armada when they were searching for these powerful artifacts, the Chaos Emeralds. But even though I helped the citizens, I still got the same disrespect from them." **_(1)_**

Luigi was appalled at the fox's childhood. He took down an army of birds at such a young age! Yet, despite all that, the people condemned him for something he was born with, not even by choice. It made him so mad, the same way Sonic felt when he learned about Tails' dark past.

"Afterwards, I found myself on Westside Island, where I got bullied even more. However, it was the place where I got to meet my idol. My fighting partner. My best friend and older brother, Sonic. He saved me from some bullies. At first, I was scared he was going to hurt me, too. But he didn't. He wasn't like the other guys. And, pardon my language, but those bullies were such assholes."

"Eh, I've heard of harsher language than that. Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to interrupt."

"No, you're okay, Luigi. Anyways, I fixed his biplane as compensation for being nice to me. He was so speechless; you should've seen the look on his face! By then, he decided to take me in as a part of his family after we defeated Eggman and his Death Egg." **_(2)_**

"So that's how you two met each other."

"Yeah. I've always looked up to Sonic for confidence and help, no matter what. If I was kidnapped, I always try to think like him. To be confident, hoping he would rescue me from danger. And he never failed me."

"I wish I had as much confidence as you. Even though I look up to my brother, I usually chicken out because I'm afraid of almost anything. Which is sort of why I get stuck in Mario's shadow for years. I mean, I'm okay not being too famous. But occasionally, I would like to get some recognition and praise at times."

"I get that same feeling every time the media goes after Sonic and I just stand in the sidelines. I see him on newspapers, billboards, TV, almost everywhere in Mobius. I only get some credit, but most of the attention goes to Sonic. Not that I'm not okay with it, but I get jealous sometimes."

Tails and Luigi finally made their way to the top of the stairs and entered the large, white hall. They continued talking, not noticing Grambi and Luvbi who have finished their family time with Queen Jaydes before she left for the Underwhere.

"You know, I've always wished I could see Mario again. I just want to know how he's doing."

"And I want to see Sonic, too. But at least we have each other, right?"

"Definitely, Tails. I'm not even going to think twice about leaving you. We're friends after all!" exclaimed Luigi.

"Yeah, that's true," Tails smiled.

The King and his daughter overheard the green plumber and yellow kitsune. That gave Grambi an idea.

"So, they would liketh to seeth their brothers again? Perchance I could doeth something about that."

"Father, what are thou thinking of?" Luvbi whispered.

"Maybe I can create something to let them encounter their families again. It would please mine soul to seeth them happy, as well as the others down below."

"How are thou going to doeth that?"

"In due timeth, Luvbi. I'll think about it. But for now, it is timeth to rest. Come, mine dear. Timeth for thy curfew."

"Oh, father. Really?" she complained.

"Aye, Luvbi. E'en though thou're growing up, thou still hast to sleep early."

"Okay, fine."

She rolled her eyes as she left for her bedroom. Grambi noticed her, but he only chuckled to himself. He turned to Luigi and Tails who seemed to feel better after spending the day with each other. But if he could give them a chance to reunite with their older brothers, it would make their day. Feeling ambitious to help them, he flew to his private master bedroom and began to work.

 ** _END OF CHAPTER_**

* * *

 _Mario and Sonic have settled their issues aside and apologized to one another. And so, they have started a friendship! But can they find Sonic's friends? And where are they now?_

 _As for Luigi and Tails, they still miss their brothers, and vice versa for our two protagonists. Grambi seems keen to help them. What does he have planned?_

 _And next time on New Brotherhood, we'll kick things off back at Bowser's Castle where the Koopa King will find out who Kamek captured._

 _Thanks for reading as always! Please review, follow/favorite, and I'll see you guys in Ch. 11! This is TGN, signing off._

* * *

 ** _Post-Chapter Notes:_**

 ** _(1):_** _Tails' past is a mystery, but after reading several fanfics and looking him up on Wiki, this was his past in Tails Adventure, before he met Sonic._

 ** _(2):_** _This part focuses on the start of Sonic and Tails' first adventure together in Sonic the Hedgehog 2._


	12. Ch 11: Room for Hope?

_A/N:_ _And I have returned to this fanfic after a two-week break. I'm also happy to announce that as of August 9th, New Brotherhood has reached **3000 hits**! Once again, I appreciate your support, reviews, and feedback! Now that Mario and Sonic have buried the hatchet, they will eventually start their search to find Sonic's friends._

 _But to begin this chapter, I'll reveal what's going on in Bowser's domain. So without further ado, let's get right back into the story!_

* * *

 _Disclaimer: __I only take credit for the plot. Nintendo and Sega own the property of their respective characters._

* * *

 **Chapter 11:** Room for Hope?

 _Location: Bowser's Castle_

With his son leading the way, Bowser reached the entrance to his underground dungeon. The Koopa King soon met his veteran Magikoopa apprentice standing in front of the door.

"Kamek. Junior told me that you have found some prisoners in my castle. Who are they and what were they doing here?"

"Lord Bowser," the robed magician bowed to him. "I was wondering the halls to check on the minions cleaning up the halls and preparing for your next arsenal to use against the Mushroom Kingdom. But along my discoveries, I found three individuals lying in one of the corridors. They do not appear to be recognizable, however."

"Not recognizable? What does that mean?"

"I am unsure. But for some reason, I do not believe they originated from this world at all."

Bowser raised an eyebrow as he was still confused. Jr. looked at his dad before turning to Kamek so he could further elaborate.

"We are more familiar towards the Yoshis from their southern islands, the Kong family who resides in Kongo Jungle, and other animal-like creatures from our army. But these creatures, I have never seen them or anyone of their species before in my past."

"And who are these creatures?"

"Here, follow me," Kamek waved his hand. "I secured them in one of the cells so they wouldn't escape."

A couple of Koopatrol guards who opened the large door with a large Bowser insignia painted in the middle. It was dark inside, but there were a few candlelit torches hung on the walls to provide some light. The three Koopas walked down the hallway past several empty cells that were used to hold any hostages the troop captured. And in the farthest part of the dungeon was a cubicle with a tiny window on the back wall. Not that there was any light shining through it since most of Dark Land's sky was covered with gray clouds. The only time any light appeared would come from lightning bolts. Through the bars, there were three entities inside the jail.

"Here are the intruders I found," explained Kamek.

"I told you, we never invaded this dungeon in the first place!" said a shrilly, yet annoyed voice.

"I suggest you watch what you say with that dirty muzzle of yours, ma'am," the Magikoopa retorted.

Amy went up to the bars and furiously shook them. "WHAT DID YOU SAY TO ME?!"

"Amy, please calm down!" Cream ran up and begged her while holding her friend's shoulders.

Bowser took a thorough look at the prisoners. First, he glared at the pink hedgehog with a sleeveless red dress, red boots with a vertical white stripe on each one, white gloves and gold ring bracelets, and three pink bangs hanging over her emerald eyes. Then, he hovered his eyes towards the young, cream-furred rabbit with a vermilion dress sporting a white collar and light blue tie, vermilion and yellow shoes, white gloves, and long, drooping bunny ears. Holding onto the rabbit's head was a light blue and yellow Chao with a red bow tie. He had a frightened look as he used Cream's ears to avoid looking at the evil, red eyes of the large Koopa.

"Who the heck are these guys?" Jr. opened his mouth.

"Hey! We're girls, apart from Cheese, thank you very much!" Amy spat at him.

Jr. flinched when some of her spit landed on the side of his mouth. "Yuck!" he wiped the saliva off. "Ugh, that was disgusting!"

"Just like your raspy voice, turtle breath."

"Hey, you want to continue with the insults? Because I won't be afraid to spit at you! And it won't be drool coming out of my mouth!"

When Jr. walked up to the bars, Kamek grabbed his arm before he could try to harm the hedgehog or her friends with his fire breath. Amy and Cream cautiously backed up, but the former was still in a bad mood.

"Amy, please don't make them madder than they are right now," she whispered desperately in her ear.

"How did you manage to get into my castle?" Bowser grunted with a low, menacing tone.

"Like we know," Amy scoffed. "We found ourselves in one of the hallways only to be attacked and stopped by that jerk!" she pointed at the magician.

"Again, I suggest you watch your muzzle, missy!" Kamek warned her while cautiously keeping his eye on the Koopa kid.

Amy grunted as she made a fist.

"Well either way, you're intruding on my property. And with that, trespassers will be locked up. I already see that Kamek has done his job, and so you will suffer in this cell until we figure out why you are here and what to do with you three."

"Please, Mr. Monster," Cream tried to ask her way out in the calmest tone possible. "We didn't mean to be here. We were stuck in an accident and were suddenly sent here. It was only a random occurrence. We're not trying to do anything bad at all!"

"Chao, Chao…" Cheese whimpered.

Suddenly, Bowser had an epiphany. He remembered something from Dr. Eggman referring to his archrival and his friends. And the three of them seem to match the human's descriptions. At first, he snorted smoke through his nostrils. But afterwards, he smirked maliciously. Amy narrowed her eyes when she noticed this.

"What?" she pressed on.

"So, you're the people who were sucked in by that black hole Dr. Eggman created, huh?"

Jr. and Kamek looked at him with confused faces. Amy narrowed her eyes even more while Cream and Cheese widened theirs in surprise.

"W-What?" the rabbit stuttered.

"How do you know about him?" Amy questioned.

"I found him in my castle. When he woke up, I had some… interesting talks with him. He certainly mentioned you pathetic, little creatures and your so-called blue hero."

Amy's heart skipped a beat. "Sonic?"

"Yes, that blue furball. I don't know much about him, neither have I met this speedy little jerk. But I am willing to see if that rat is as brave and heroic to save you. Yet I highly doubt it," he chuckled.

"First of all, he's a _hedgehog_ , like myself. And second, what are you trying to say?"

"What I'm saying is that I have formed an alliance with the evil doctor to take down my own archenemy. In return, I have compensated my battalion and airships to use to his desire. And, we'll be set to eliminate him, alongside that rat, or that _hedgehog_ , as you prefer. Just like how we got rid of their stupid, little brothers."

Amy felt her heart pounding in her chest. "I can't believe you!"

"T-That… That i-isn't true, is it?" Cream cried.

"Oh, it's true all right," Bowser showed off another evil grin. "If they both fall into their own demises, we can easily take over the world. In fact, _every_ world! Every single place that exists! And there would be no one to stop us! BWAHAHAHA!"

"You sick, twisted… You've gone mad with power just like Eggman, haven't you?" Amy disgustedly asked him.

"I guess you could say that."

"Well listen here, bozo turtle! Sonic will stop you and Eggman from ruling all worlds!"

Bowser stopped laughing to taunt the hedgehog. "Really? You actually have confidence in an overzealous, cocky rodent to stop both of us? Then keep dreaming, pinky. Because that will never happen, not in a million years."

"Yeah! Whoever this Sonic guy is must be a total wimp! And a loser!" Jr. got a piece of the tough talk.

Amy had enough of their backlash, especially with the little Koopa brat. With her… questionable antics, she summoned her large Piko Piko hammer as a threat. She banged the bars loudly in front of Bowser Jr. that it made him jump back. After regaining his composure, he scowled at her.

"Grr… You think you're so tough with that stupid hammer? Well get a load of this!"

Jr. then pulled out his signature, magical paintbrush, which featured some colorful ink on the bristles and a logo imprint of a certain man. **_(1)_** He whipped it out and sprayed some graffiti that seeped inside the cell. It made Amy and Cream's feet slip. They had to hold onto each other to avoid falling. Cheese also had to hold his friend's ears so he wouldn't slip in the colorful, yet harmful paint.

"Hey! What was that?!" Cream yelled.

"That was so uncalled for!" growled Amy.

"Chao!" the Chao grumbled.

"Junior, put that paintbrush away this instant!" Kamek ordered him.

"Aw, why do I have to?" he complained.

"No one told you to even use it, and it is most certainly unnecessary to treat our prisoners like that."

"Oh, come on! Since when did you become so kind to strangers?"

"Just put away your paintbrush, young master."

"Ugh! Fine!" he reluctantly got rid of his weapon.

Bowser ran a claw through his hair, feeling somewhat irritated for his son misbehaving yet again alongside the nerve of Amy trying to retaliate. He stared back at the three hostages.

"As I was saying, this Sonic guy will _never_ defeat us and save you pathetic twerps. For all I care, you can rot in this prison while yours truly will take care of our archenemies. And that's what you'll do for the rest of the night."

"Can't we at least get some water? I'm really thirsty," Cheese begged softly.

Bowser grumbled. "Maybe, maybe not," he started to head the other way towards the dungeon exit. He turned around slightly to show his red eyes. "But I really hope you enjoy your new home for now. Come on, Kamek, Jr. Let's leave these people alone."

Kamek followed the king while Jr. decided to get the last laugh by sticking his tongue and spat out a raspberry at the girls, most specifically towards Amy. Furious, she wielded her hammer again to convince him to stay away from her. But Junior just smirked at her before he walked out. The Koopatrols closed and locked the doors as the three exited the dungeon. As for Amy, Cream, and Cheese, they sat against the wall as they became tired.

"Amy, is Sonic going to be okay? Are we going to be okay?" Cream innocently asked as her eyes began to water.

The hedgehog didn't answer at first. She stared blankly at the cell bars and the various torches outside that made the dungeon somewhat dim. She contemplated what could have happened to her hero after getting sucked in that black hole. Because after she was gone, she had no clue what happened to the Blue Blur. There was a high chance he got caught in it as well. But if he did, where was he now? Could he be in this same, yet unfamiliar world? Did he get captured? Was he… No, she couldn't think of _that_ possibility. Her heart was hurt enough from the loss of Tails. She wouldn't know what to do or think if he was gone too. Part of her was saying that Sonic was alive and okay. That's the only thing that she wondered.

"Amy?"

She finally turned to her friend, whom she cared for like a little sister. She wanted to give Cream some confidence that everything will be alright in the end. But at this stage, it's tough to give a response like that knowing how this turn of events unraveled for the worst.

"I… I can only hope so," she replied.

However, for the first time in her life, she was unsure of Sonic's fate. Every other time before today, she believed in him no matter what. This time, it was completely different. She can only wish that he could save them quickly and escape from their enemies' wraths. As long as he was still alive, there could be room for hope.

* * *

 _Location: Peach's Castle_

Mario and Sonic reached the second floor of the castle in search of the pink, pig-tailed Toad girl. After passing several rooms, they entered the ballroom where Mario assumed Toadette was in. And his hunch was right. The heroes saw her sitting on a chair, holding the red plumber's guitar, on top of a large stage. She was with several other mushroom retainers. There were a large variety of boys and girls in different colors who were playing their musical instruments in preparations for the upcoming annual Mushroom City Concert.

"Man, these Toads can really make music," Sonic whispered to Mario.

"I know. Some of them just have that touch to play very well. Toadette happens to be one of them. She always likes to perform her music with passion."

"I can see. She really looks happy strumming in tune."

Speaking of her, she noticed Mario walking up to the raised platform. She decided to call it a day for the Toads' practice session.

"Okay, guys! I think that's good enough for tonight! You all seem ready for the concert, but we'll continue practicing every other day!"

The Toads were dismissed, and they packed up their instruments. After leaving, Toadette hopped down to the duo.

"Hi, Mario! Great to see you again!"

"Hello, Toadette," Mario greeted kindly.

"Oh, and you must be Sonic the Hedgehog! Princess Peach mentioned you for a little bit when she was making tea."

"Yep, that's me alright!" he smirked and pointed his thumb at himself.

"Is it true that you can run very fast?"

"Sure can!" He demonstrated by running a lap around the massive ballroom. He finished in one second flat.

Toadette was astonished. "Wow! Not even Yoshi can dash that fast!"

"Yoshi is one of our friends who lives in his island down south. He's a green dinosaur and there many others like him in a rainbow of colors," Mario explained to him.

"Oh, I see."

"So what are you guys doing here?"

"I was going to ask you if I could have my guitar back."

Toadette registered what Mario said and put a hand on her cheek. "Oh my goodness! I completely forgot to return it to you. I'm sorry, Mario."

"No, it's okay. I knew you were busy preparing for the big concert. I was just in a rough spot and I needed some closure, you know?"

The pink Toad girl easily knew what he was referring to. "I understand. Well, I'm already done practicing for the night. So you're more than welcome to take it back."

"But won't you need it anyways to practice your music?" asked Sonic.

"Actually, I pre-ordered a new guitar that should be arriving tomorrow morning. I only borrowed Mario's because my old one had some broken strings, and the tuning keys wouldn't move to change the sound."

"Oh, yeah. Sometimes those tuning keys can be a pain to fix. And on occasion, I would get some loose strings here and there. I've been there before."

Mario turned to the hedgehog. "Now I'm the one to be surprised. You play guitar, too?"

"Yeah. I'm also surprised I didn't mention that earlier."

"That's actually kind of cool! Can I hear you strum a few chords?"

Sonic scratched the back of his quills. "Gee, I don't know. I haven't played for a while. Especially not since…"

"Since what?" Toadette noticed how distraught the hedgehog looked.

"Toadette…" Mario whispered to get her attention. When she locked eyes, she saw the plumber shaking his head, indicating not to push him to explaining the sad truth. She formed a small 'o' with her mouth as she had an idea on what he was referring to.

"Oh, never mind."

"Nah, it's cool. But if you want me to try it out, I wouldn't mind. You too, Mario."

"Oh no, go ahead. I actually would like to hear."

Toadette handed Sonic the guitar and her own special pick. Sonic wrapped the strap over his shoulder and around his back to hold it in place. He got his hands in position holding the neck of the instrument and the guitar pick. He strummed some chords for a little bit to refresh his memory. Once he felt confident, he began to play more notes which transformed into a beautiful tune. It sounded like something normally heard from a sad song, but it had some feeling and rhythm to make the melody feel positive. Mario and Toadette listened in awe as he spent the next couple of minutes showing off his musical ability. Once he let the final strum linger, they gave a small round of applause.

"Amazing! You played really well, Sonic!" Toadette complimented.

Sonic smiled. "Thanks. Somehow I managed to remember to hit the right notes."

"You sure had a knack with that. I was going to play a little to make me feel better, but you were incredible. You definitely have better skills than me," praised Mario.

"Oh, I wouldn't say that. I haven't heard you try it out."

"Well believe me, you've got some talent right there."

"Speaking of talent," Toadette mentioned, "would you consider taking part in the Mushroom City Concert next month?"

The heroes looked at her with shock. "What?" they simultaneously blurted out.

"Yeah! I know the person who runs the concert very well. If you're lucky, I can convince him to let you perform! We do need a few more entries to last a two-hour event."

"Well, I appreciate the thought," Sonic considered. "But, I'm more focused on something else."

"And what's that?"

"Finding my friends. You see, I transported here from an accident, and I have a feeling they might end up in this world, too. I want to find them, and I have to."

"Oh, wow. I'm sorry about that. I hope you do find them soon. Are you going to start searching tomorrow?"

"Yeah, and I'm going to have Mario to help me out."

"Exactly," the plumber agreed. "Anything for my new friend."

Sonic gave him a smirk. He was thankful to accept Mario as a partner.

"Anyways, we should get some sleep. We have to wake up early tomorrow." Sonic handed back the pick to Toadette. "Thanks again."

She smiled. "No, thank you for playing. And it's an honor to meet you."

"It's great to meet you, too. Oh, and here's your guitar back," Sonic gave it to Mario.

"Thanks. Good luck with the practice sessions, Toadette."

"I'll try my best! And good luck to you on your big search."

"Yeah, we're gonna need it," declared Sonic.

They walked out of the ballroom after saying goodbye to the pink Toad. Then, Mario realized something.

"Oh, I better go apologize to Peach and Daisy before I head back to my home. They must be upset at this point."

"Do you want me to come with you, just for company? Besides, I kind of have to talk to Peach."

"What for?"

"Small apology, just like you. But for a different reason."

"If you say so," Mario shrugged.

As they made their way to Peach's room, Sonic knocked on her door.

"Who is it?"

"It's me again. And Mario's here as well."

Inside, Peach paused and looked at her door. _"Mario? Why is he here?"_ she thought. Nonetheless, she opened it and met her guests. "Sonic, you're here again. And Mario… you're back. Is something wrong?"

"Yes, and it's me. I want to apologize for losing my temper before I left the castle. I probably scared you, let alone disappointed you for not handling the situation properly. I really hope I didn't offend you or anything."

Mario sheepishly put his hands behind his back and tilted his head down once he finished his statement. He then felt a hand on his shoulder. He looked up to see Peach with a serious, yet kindhearted look.

"You're forgiven, Mario. But please don't treat yourself like that again. I hate to see you kick yourself down when you don't deserve it."

"Yes. And again, I'm sorry."

Peach sincerely pecked his cheek to assure him. His face blushed red once she pulled away. Sonic tried to hide a smile by covering his muzzle.

"Sonic, what brings you here again?"

"Well, I have two things to discuss about. One is to apologize you again for making you upset when you talked about Luigi. I can understand why you guys were in a rough spot."

"You're forgiven, too, Sonic. But again, it wasn't your fault."

"Either way, I felt guilty for making things complicated." He then gave the red man a sympathetic look before continuing. "And second, I took my time to apologize to Mario for how I acted in front of him during our first encounter. I wasn't appreciative of him offering his help when I should have, and it got us off in the wrong direction. But after we had some small talk, we both forgave each other, and now we're friends."

That put a smile on the princess' face. "Why that's nice to hear! I'm glad you two made up."

"So are we. Do you know if Daisy is in her room? I want to go apologize to her as well."

"Yes, she's in her guest room. She's probably packing up to return to Sarasaland tomorrow morning though."

"Okay. Thanks for listening and accepting my apology."

"You're welcome. You two should get some sleep very soon."

"Yeah, we know. We just wanted to stop by real fast."

"I appreciate the thought," she said. "Good night, Mario. Good night, Sonic."

"Good night, Princess Peach."

The two walked away from her doors before she closed them. Mario eventually met up with Daisy who was about to go to sleep before he knocked. Once he apologized, the flower princess forgave him and asked he could accompany her at Luigi's grave one more time before they go searching for Sonic's friends. He agreed without hesitation. After saying good night to her, they reached Sonic's guest room.

"So I guess I'll see you tomorrow then?" asked the hedgehog.

"Definitely," the plumber replied.

"Say, Mario, I have one more question."

"And what's that?"

"How did you cope with the loss of your brother?"

Mario was a little stunned that he would ask such a question. Nevertheless, he took a moment to think.

"I… don't know, really. Recently, I've been writing my own thoughts in a journal, something I started when I found out Luigi had one of his own. I haven't written much, but it's personal to me because it's something to let out my emotions if I don't want to show it in public. Otherwise, music would help calm my nerves," he lifted his guitar to support his case.

"Hmm… a journal. Never would have guessed that. I can relate to music though." Sonic shifted his head at the ground, slightly sighing.

Mario hung his arm over Sonic's shoulder. "Don't worry, Sonic. I understand your pain. But I promise I won't let you lose anyone else. And that includes your missing friends. We'll find them soon."

Sonic shot a small glance at him. "I sure hope so."

"I'll leave you alone to think. See you tomorrow, Sonic."

"See ya, Mario."

The hedgehog watched his friend head downstairs to retreat to his home. When he entered his room, he stood there for a while. He made his way to the balcony to take one more look of the Mushroom Kingdom, where the town was silent as there weren't that many Toads walking outside. The only source of light came from the streetlamps and the crescent moon. He rested his hands on the edge and stared at the celestial body.

"Amy, Cream, Cheese, I'm going to find you eventually. Even if it kills me, I rather die trying rather than do nothing," he whispered to himself.

Before he went to bed, he made one last prayer.

 _"And Tails, if you're listening to me, I sure hope I can see you again soon."_

 ** _END OF CHAPTER_**

* * *

 _Will Sonic learn that his friends are stuck in the hands of Mario's archnemesis? Or the fact the enemies have teamed up together? And can he save them before disaster strikes?_

 _I'll try my best to write one last chapter before I begin school soon. Thanks again everyone for taking the time to read. Please review, follow/favorite, and I'll see you guys in Ch. 12! This is TGN, signing off._

* * *

 ** _Post-Chapter Notes:_**

 ** _(1):_** _I am referencing the graffiti paintbrush Bowser Jr. used to pollute Isle Delfino in Super Mario Sunshine. It would make some appearances in other games, including the Mario sports titles which utilizes the graffiti to make people slip and fall._


	13. Ch 12: Golden Opportunity

_A/N: Thanks again for waiting on another chapter of __NB_ _. However, this will be the last one of the month and for a while as I'm starting school next Monday. Don't worry; I'm NOT abandoning the story! Even though I will be extremely busy, I want to at least upload once a month for you guys after receiving positive feedback from some followers. This isn't guaranteed, but I'm going to try my best, both in writing and in college._

 _Special thanks to Steel Fairy, FairyTalePrincess16, Mitha Sentro, LEGOSonicCraggerFan, and Nai the shinycat for your reviews in the last chapter!_

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 _Disclaimer: The plot is developed by me. Mario, Sonic, and the other characters are respectively owned by Nintendo and Sega._

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 **Chapter 12:** Golden Opportunity

 _Location: The Overthere_

Yellow eyelids fluttered which allowed the pair of blue eyes to see. The vision started off as a blur, but it became clear for the individual to see the white ceiling above him. He let out a soft moan, pushing himself from the bed. His bangs waved around and his wings spread out. He stretched his arms out as he yawned.

He looked around him. He was sitting in one of the many beds along one side of the humongous hall with more beds found across him. Most of the beds were occupied by the Nimbis who do not have their own private home. Instead, they were granted access to rest in Grambi's palace.

Tails happened to be one of them. His friend, Luigi, was one, too. Since he arrived at the Overthere, he was given the bed next to the green man to sleep in. However, Tails found out that he wasn't in his bed. Confused, he gently got off and tiptoed out of the hall, trying not to wake up the dozing angels.

After refreshing himself, he made his way to the large kitchen of the palace. There, he saw Luigi helping some Nimbis with breakfast.

"Good morning, Luigi."

The angelic man turned around at the voice and smiled. "Oh, good morning, Tails. How was your first night?"

"Pleasant. I must say, Grambi sure wasn't kidding about how soft the mattresses were. I fell asleep instantly when I got myself comfortable."

"I know. That's how I felt when I came here."

"So what are you doing?"

"Cooking some breakfast for the people here. There are tons of Nimbis out there who need to eat, and I've offered to help prepare a huge buffet for everyone."

"I didn't know you could cook."

"Yeah, it's one of my main hobbies back in at home when I'm not with my brother, fixing some plumbing, or going out on an adventure."

"Can I help you guys?"

"Sure! I'm on pancake duty. The Nimbis next to me are making omelets. Those over there are preparing coffee, juice, and tea. And there's more frying up other dishes. You can browse around and see which station you would like to work at."

"I think I can do pancakes. I've made a couple of my own whenever I have breakfast with Sonic."

"I guess an extra hand wouldn't hurt. I've already got the batter ready. All you have to do is pour and flip."

"I can do that!"

A half hour had elapsed in the heavens and the chefs have finished the buffet. Another group of Nimbis carried out the dishes to the magnificent, enormous dining room where the population congregates and enjoy their meals. Hundreds of guests flew in the hall to gather around the long table and eat together. It was a pleasant experience for the fox to socialize with the Nimbis, some he has met during his first day in the Overthere, as well as new ones who were interested in his twin tails. Luigi smiled to see his friend having a great time, knowing that he was once in his position when he initially introduced himself to the kind people. There were a couple who slightly remember him during his first visit here before his game ended, while others were new to him. Regardless, everyone appreciated the green man for his hospitable personality, a lot more than the Toads in the Mushroom Kingdom. But it didn't matter to the younger Mario brother at all. He only cares about the people around him, where friendliness overpowers selfishness.

Luigi and Tails finished their breakfast and decided to head out for a leisure walk. However, an elderly voice called to them.

"Master Luigi. Master Tails."

The plumber and the kitsune turned around to see Grambi.

"Good morning, Mr. Grambi."

"Please, gentlemen. Thou can just call me Grambi. I've mentioned this since I welcomed thou two."

"Sorry. It's formal talk. We thought it was appropriate," Luigi apologized.

The ruler chuckled. "Nay worries. But, I would liketh to speak to thou two privately."

"What is it about, sir?" asked Tails.

"Followeth me. To mine chambers."

Tails and Luigi glanced at each other for a second before walking after him. A couple minutes later, Grambi waved the two to enter first before following inside and shutting the door gently. He gestured them again as he led them to a large, white chalice with water inside of it.

"Grambi?" Luigi started.

He turned around to face the younger brothers. "Luigi, Tails. Let me ask thou something. How much doeth thou care for thy older brothers, Masters Mario and Sonic?"

The two took some time to register the question into their heads. They glimpsed at each other again and looked back at Grambi.

"For me, I love Sonic for what he's done to reshape my life, given how my childhood started off. I care about him as much as he cares about me," Tails answered.

"I feel the same way about Mario. I always look up to him for guidance or assurance if I'm not confident in myself. Although we get into arguments, I can't stay mad at him forever," Luigi followed up.

"How much doeth thou miss them?"

Another pause came from them.

"…I miss Sonic very much."

"…As do I in regards to Mario."

He nodded at their responses. "Gentlemen, please stand on either side of me and looketh."

Grambi rotated to face the goblet as Luigi walked up to Grambi's right and Tails hovered to his left. The three stared at the water. Then, the Nimbi ruler closed his eyes and thought carefully. It caused the liquid to ripple. Seconds later, an image came into view. It was a large pink and white structure, one that was very recognizable to Luigi.

"Hey, that's Peach's Castle!"

"Indeed," Grambi murmured.

"But why are you showing us this?"

"This goblet allows me to spectate the worlds below us. As thou already know, the Overthere is high above all dimensions, and us Nimbis, or in thy case angels, are not allowed to interfere withal the real world and the people below. Under any circumstances where one breaks the rules shall suffer a punishment determined by Queen Jaydes. Anyways, after she left from our bonding timeth, I went to looketh out after thy brothers to seeth how they're faring. And to mine surprise, they both are in the same world, the Mushroom Kingdom to art precise."

"What?!" Luigi and Tails exclaimed with surprise.

"Wait, how is Sonic in Mario's world?" the kitsune queried.

"Well, perchance thou can ask him thyself."

"Wait, huh?" Tails was extremely confused, likewise Luigi who raised an eyebrow.

"To reiterate, it's against the rules for us Nimbis to interact withal the living citizens down below. But, for thou two, I made a small exception to grant thy wishes."

"Wishes?" Luigi repeated.

"I'm giving thou the opportunity to reunite withal thy brothers."

They stared at Grambi with wide eyes.

"A-are you s-serious?" Tails stuttered.

"Aye. But keep in mind, this is not a resurrection," he clarified in a calm, yet stern, tone. "I don't hast the power or the ability to bring thou two back to life. Whatever happened in the past belongs in the past. Still, as angels, I want to make thou all happy to reunite for a small gathering, to let them know that you're okay after thy noble sacrifices. This wilt not a permanent experience, but to spend some timeth withal thy older idols is something I'm willing to bend the laws of the Overthere. For thou two, mine heart is out to heal yours and theirs."

It was surreal to hear this from Grambi that the plumber and the fox had their mouths agape, speechless.

"So, if we do get to see our brothers, how much time will we have?" inquired Luigi.

"Hither, followeth me again." He led them to his white, handcrafted desk. Four colored devices were sitting under a lamp light. "What thou seeth hither are something I call 'Brotherhood Bracelets'. Withal the help of Rebbi, Blubi, and Yebbi, I constructed these accessories last night to give thou the opportunity to meet them. I made this green one for thou, Master Luigi. Yebbi developed this yellow one for thou, Master Tails. Blubi and Rebbi designed the ones for Masters Sonic and Mario. Thou two wilt wear these on thy wrists."

Luigi and Tails understood and attached them below their right hands.

"To simply warp to thy desired location, interlock hands withal each other, as if you're performing a handshake. Speak the location out loud, and these devices wilt teleport thou to a nearby site where they're currently at. When thou doeth encounter them, give these bracelets to thy older brothers. Let the two keep them as a gift, a way to refortify the bonds and make them stronger. It's to assure that thou still care about them. For thy reunion, I can only allow thou to spend one hour down thither. Doeth not waste a precious second to find and speak withal them. This is the only timeth I wilt offer a family moment, only for two of the kindest souls I've met."

The green man inhaled deeply and sighed with a hint of happiness warming his heart. "Mr. Grambi, I can't explain how grateful I am."

"Doeth not bother then. As long as thou two are happy, then I am happy."

"That's a little cliché…" Tails realized what he said. "Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to be rude."

"Nay need to apologize. Mine heart is out thither for thou. Now, the thing is, if anyone seems to spot thou, thou must art in disguise."

"Disguise? How?"

"And why?" Luigi added.

"It'd art improper for the deceased to returneth to the real world. If people were to spot thou, specifically you Luigi since you'll art traveling to your world, you'll give people the wrong idea that thou were ne'r gone. I don't want thou to complicate things between life and death. As much as it hurts, that's part of the requirements of being a Nimbi. But, liketh I said, if it's to cheer thou up, I'm giving this chance to spend one last moment together. Not just withal thy own brothers, but as a group. Get to know one another." **_(1)_**

"Again, I can't explain how much I appreciate this. I bet Tails thinks the same, too."

"And I do," the kit bobbed his head.

"You're very welcome. Now then. Luigi, Tails. Thy hour wilt begin as anon as thou leave the Overthere. Thy bracelets wilt indicate how much timeth thou wilt hast left before thou must returneth. Alarms wilt hie off when thou hast thirty, ten, five, and one minute remaining. A fifteen second warning wilt also bleep, which is where thou must warp back to our home once timeth runs out. Doeth thou understand all of this? Don't hesitate to ask me anything before thou leave."

"I think we're set," said Luigi.

"I think so, too," Tails agreed.

"Alright, then. Good luck, hast fun, and art safe."

"Thank you, Mr. Grambi," they bowed.

The angels turned to face one another and raised their right hands. They clenched tightly and the Brotherhood Bracelets began to glow.

"To the Mushroom Kingdom!" Luigi shouted.

The bracelets shined brighter than before. Then, a band of light encircled Tails and Luigi until it covered them entirely. Once it did, the light quickly glimmered into a small orb and exploded into sparkles. They no longer stood in Grambi's room as they transported to their location.

Satisfied, Grambi returned to the chalice to see the image of Peach's Castle again. He grinned from behind his long beard.

"Aye, brotherhood. Such a strong family bond."

* * *

 _Location: Bowser's Castle_

The following morning was fairly decent for the two villains. Both Bowser and Dr. Eggman woke up early in Dark Land to get their plans started. At first, the Koopa King was going around his fortress to check on Kamek and his other troops to prepare for another ambush against Mario. Yesterday's plan didn't go in his favor considering he decided to go solo. But with his new partner, he's more than motivated to take down the red plumber and officially overthrow the throne of the Mushroom Kingdom.

As for Dr. Eggman, he got to work immediately, receiving help from the Hammer Bros. and Magikoopas to construct the airships. Machines were his forte, so he fixed up a couple of ships with heavy artillery and the ability to transform into robotic mechanisms, making them more threatening than they were with just cannonballs and Bullet Bills.

After several hours' worth of construction, he decided to go to the kitchen to whip up a colossal sandwich. Since he was still new to the castle, he had to ask the residents where it is. The doctor eventually found his destination, where he found Kamek, Bowser Jr., and the seven Koopalings sitting around a long, rectangular table. **_(2)_**

Beforehand, Wendy and Junior got into a fit over the cookies the Koopa chefs baked this morning. Roy, Iggy, Ludwig, Lemmy, Larry, and Morton had to split them up when Wendy threatened to pummel the runt of the Koopa Klan who ate the last of the batch. They continued to bicker, irritating the magical apprentice who was busy cleaning the stove after cooking breakfast. Then again, Eggman couldn't care less about them. What mattered was satisfying his new ally to take down his archnemesis, followed by the blue hedgehog. And making his sandwich.

Speaking of his ally, Bowser entered the kitchen where he found Eggman.

"Morning to ya," said the large turtle.

Eggman turned around. "Oh, it's you. Morning to you, as well."

"So how's your first night?"

"I must say, some of your troops know how to respect a brilliant, poised villain like myself," he boasted. "I'm quite impressed with the hard work your minions put out to build those airships. In fact, I tricked a couple out so far, and we're making good progress!"

"Good. Glad to see you on board with my plan to invade to take over those stupid mushroom people. And then, I can finally take Peach away so she can rule next to me for eternity."

"Peach. She's that pink princess you explained to me last night, right?"

"Mm-hmm. But because of that stupid Mario, he always comes to take her back," Bowser made a fist. "Which is why you're gonna help me defeat him once and for all."

"And then I can conquer my planet after I bury that hedgehog next to his friend's grave!"

"Jeez, do you have to be so enthusiastic over killing someone? Doesn't that seem…" Larry struggled to figure out the appropriate word.

"Extreme? Malicious?" Iggy suggested.

"Basically, nuts and effed up?" Roy retorted.

"I second that. You must be intent on taking out a life. You're just as evil as our dad," Wendy replied.

"No, it's not 'effed up'. It's brilliant! Once that hedgehog goes down and joins his two-tailed freak of a friend and that red mustache joins his greenie pal, we'll have complete dominance to control our worlds and even more!" Eggman accentuated.

Roy shook his head and rested a hand on his face. "Whatever. Still sounds fucked up to me."

"Roy, watch your language. I can tolerate 'effed', but not _that_ particular word," ordered the Magikoopa.

The purple-shelled Koopa rolled his eyes, not that anyone could tell since he was wearing his shades. But his mood sure showed it.

"Speaking of furry hedgehogs, Kamek showed me one down in my dungeon last night. She was this extremely crazy, hot-tempered, pink hedgehog who passes by as someone sweet." Bowser grimaced when he described that last word, typically because he loathes anything that's considered 'sweet', 'kind', or anything along those words. It's even worse when it comes out of his mouth.

"Hold on a minute. Pink hedgehog?" Eggman turned to him. "Was there a small bunny and a light blue alien-like creature down with her?"

"Yes. I assume you know them?"

"As a matter of fact, I do. That pink hedgehog is Amy. She has always had an obsession trying to get Sonic's attention. Even though she does contain a heart, she can still be a deranged psycho, especially with her big mallet. That rabbit is Cream, one of the most innocent creatures on Mobius. She's too young, yet easy to abduct as ransom whenever I threaten Sonic and his friends. To me, she probably has a bigger heart than Amy, rarely showing off any anger. And that blue thing is known as a Chao named Cheese, who helps out the bunny on small occasions."

"And so they're just sitting in the dungeon?" questioned Lemmy.

"That's right," Kamek answered.

"What's the point of keeping them there anyway? Just in case the pink girl tries to pull a fast one with her hammer?" Ludwig shrugged.

"It can't be that painful like the green guy's hammer," Morton assumed.

"Don't remind me, Morton," Bowser grumbled.

"Urgh, sorry…"

Kamek snapped his claws as he remembered something. "By the way, Mr. Eggman…"

"It's _Dr._ Eggman, thank you."

"Excuse me, _Dr._ Eggman, I also found something else along my discoveries last night. It doesn't seem to be from our world, so I can only presume it came from your place instead."

"And what's that?"

"It seemed to be a ray gun."

Robotnik did a double take on what the sorcerer mentioned. "What?! You mean my death ray?"

"I… guess so."

"What about the Chaos Emeralds?! Were they in there?"

"Chaos Emeralds?" the Koopalings echoed.

"Chaos Emeralds?" Bowser repeated.

"What, are we in a cave or something?" Eggman raised an eyebrow.

"What the heck are those?" Jr. asked.

The human took a while to explain how powerful the seven gems were, the moments he harnessed their energy to enhance his robot creations, and the times Sonic used them to transform into a 'Super' state to defeat him.

 _"_ _Damn, they do so sound powerful. Probably as powerful as the Grand Stars I stole,"_ Bowser thought.

"Unfortunately, I have no idea what you're talking about. But do you want me to bring your ray gun to you?"

Eggman took a few seconds to answer. "Yes, I would like that."

Kamek nodded and left the kitchen. Bowser walked up to his affiliate.

"What's your plan?"

"I'm thinking about using the Chaos Emeralds to make your airships even more stronger and intimidating. I could even use them to build the most ultimate weapon of all!"

Bowser put a claw to his chin. "Hmm, that's not a bad idea at all."

"However, I'll need more time to build the ones with what we have and draw out some blueprints. That means I'm going to be busy to even search for them."

"No problem, I got this. Jr.! Koopalings!" The eight young turtles turned to the king. "Take your airships and find the Chaos Emeralds for my partner. He needs them desperately for our goal and I'm counting on you to find them."

"Yes, Dad!" they all yelled together.

"Perfect! Now move out!"

The Koopas didn't waste time as they eagerly went to the Hangar where their ships are held. Bowser evilly grinned when he faced Eggman, to which he mirrored his face as they were preparing for the surprise attack that will end Mario and Sonic.

 ** _END OF CHAPTER_**

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 _I hate to end it here, for two reasons. One, our red and blue protagonists were absent in this chapter. And two, Luigi and Tails' reunion with their older brothers will have to wait. But do not fret. Next time on_ _New Brotherhood_ _, the four of them WILL meet each other. Keep your eyes open for an emotional chapter!_

 _As always, thanks for reading! Be sure to follow/favorite, review, and I'll see you guys, hopefully some time in September, for Ch. 13! This is TGN, signing off._

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 ** _Post-Chapter Notes:_**

 _ **(1):** I hope Grambi's entire speech clarifies the boundaries and disadvantages of being a citizen of the Overthere. Nonetheless, he was courteous enough to Luigi and Tails for this one occasion to reunite with Mario and Sonic._

 _ **(2):** There's a reason why I added the Koopalings to the story. They're here to find the missing Chaos Emeralds, but I also plan to utilize them later in the plot._


	14. Ch 13: A Surprise Reunion (Part 1)

_A/N:_ _It's been another long wait, and I bet most of you were anticipating this chapter. So here it is! Special thanks to everyone for helping this story reach over_ _ **50 reviews**_ _and_ _ **4000 hits**_ _!_

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 _Disclaimer:_ _I don't own the Mario or Sonic franchises at all. I only take credit for the plot idea._

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 **Chapter 13:** A Surprise Reunion (Part 1)

 _Location: Mario's House_

BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!

The bedside alarm clock went off at eight in the morning. Mario winced and slowly opened his eyes, taking in the sunlight that barely shined through the blackout curtains. He lazily reached his right arm over his body and shut off the digital clock.

He breathed through his nose deeply before he tossed the red bed sheets off him. Sitting up, he jumped out of bed and put on his fuzzy slippers. Walking over to the bathroom, he spent his morning hygienic routine by brushing his teeth, removing his pajamas, and proceeding to shower. At least the hot water made him feel relaxed.

After ten minutes of washing his hair and bare body, he dried off and wrapped a towel over his lower half and returned to his bedroom. He ruffled through his dresser to pick up another set of his usual attire. First his red plaid boxers, then a red shirt, followed by the blue overalls, a pair of socks, and his gloves. Afterwards, he went back to his bed to grab his beloved hat off one of the posts. Later, he put on his brown work boots. He glanced at the mirror to see his reflection. For a small second, he smiled. But it changed to a neutral frown, a straight line from under his black mustache.

Now that he was fully dressed, he headed downstairs to prepare a small breakfast. Just two toasted pieces of bread with a Honey Syrup spread on top, and a glass of milk. He could've brewed another kettle of tea, but he was low on Mushrooms.

He ate at the kitchen table, alone… again. Normally, his younger brother would sit across in the chair that was currently vacant. He'd accompany him for their morning meals before heading off to see the princess or completing their errands. However, the seat made his heart feel the same way: empty. It wasn't the same when there's just one of them.

 _"And this is what Luigi feels whenever I leave him alone at the house,"_ he thought sadly. He stared up at the ceiling. _"Oh, Luigi… Why? Why did it have to be you?"_

Mario finished his plate and drank the last of his milk. He washed his dishes and set them in the drying rack. Glancing at the clock, reading 8:36 a.m., he decided to go to the living room. Taking a seat on the couch, he turned on the lamp, grabbed his journal, and opened to a fresh page. He clicked the pen and began writing a new entry.

…

 _Month X, Day O **(1)**_

 _Dear Journal,_

 _So, you may be wondering what has happened between the time I left and the time I'm writing this right now. Wait a minute, I'm asking a JOURNAL. Ugh, well since this is already written in ink, there's no going back now. Unless I cross everything off right now. Wait, why I am even writing this?!_

…

Mario looked back at this paragraph with utter confusion and stupidity. He shook his head.

"Sometimes I'm an idiot," he muttered.

He tore off the page like it was obsolete and threw it in the trash.

"Let's start over and try not to mess this up again."

He started writing on a new piece of paper.

…

 _Month X, Day O_

 _Dear Journal,_

 _Let's forget what I tried to write the last time. Anyways, just after I finished my previous entry last night, I returned to Peach's Castle to ask for my guitar I lent to Toadette._

 _But as I was about to enter, I opened the doors and out came a speeding hedgehog. Sonic, to be exact. We tumbled onto the bridge and recovered. At first, I was mad. But I tried to ignore Sonic for personal reasons. However, he stopped me for something._

 _He wanted to apologize. He apologized for hurting my feelings and not knowing about my past. Apparently, he learned about Luigi from Princess Peach. After he finished his entire spiel, that's when something changed in my heart. I treated Sonic like crap when I went berserk in front of him and everyone else. All because of me being unable to box up my feelings. I let my emotions get the best of me, but more like my ego. In the end, I had to apologize for my poor behavior, too._

 _After Sonic listened, he comforted me. I was surprised, to be honest. Turns out that he's more sympathetic and serious about the matters than I thought. Maybe that's why he cared so much about Tails. If he was only a kid, going into the line of fighting against a notorious doctor, he must be overprotective of him. And it's not just the fox he cared about; he's concerned for all his friends, whether he shows it off or not. I can relate to him in that sense. We conceal our feelings, but deep down our main concern is keeping the people we know and love safe._

…

Mario took a second to realize what he wrote this time. That last phrase. He read it once, and he read it again. Every time he repeated it in his head, he grimaced by gripping the pen tightly. He shut his eyes in shame.

 _"It's too bad I couldn't protect the one I knew my entire life. I'm sorry, Weege."_

He opened and blinked his eyes rapidly, trying to prevent the tears from forming.

…

 _After apologizing to one another, it seems safe to say that we officially buried the hatchet. We calmed ourselves down, shook hands, and became friends. From that moment, I never felt this happy in a long time. But despite all that, Sonic is still currently in a tough situation._

 _He needs to find his friends after being transported to our world. I promised to search with him. I couldn't just let him go on his own if he's not familiar with our world. And I couldn't bear to think if they were gone like his best friend. That would not only upset him, but me as well. I don't want to fail him like I failed Luigi. I'm determined to help in any way possible, even if I die trying._

 _Anyways, I should wrap this up now. I have to leave for the castle to pray for Luigi once more before Daisy leaves for her plane. Once I'm done, I'll head out with Sonic and begin our journey. I think the first place I want to visit is E. Gadd's lab. I haven't seen the professor since the funeral, but maybe he could help us. Not just for finding his friends, but for finding a way back home. He's so smart and technical, I have an inkling he could trick something out, like a teleporter or anything like that. After all, he has been reliable in most cases, especially for Luigi._

 _Okay, I'm starting to get ahead of myself. At the very least, I feel much better than I was hours ago._

 _~Mario_

…

The red plumber set down the journal, leaned against the back cushion, and looked up. **_(2)_** He remained silent for a while. All he did was stare at the ceiling. Momentarily, he shifted his gaze over at a framed photo of Luigi that stood above the living room furnace. He turned off the lamp and got off the couch, stretching his arms. He walked over and picked up the picture. There, he could see Luigi's ecstatic face with an open mouth smile. It made Mario curve his lips up a little, but it went back down as the painful memories returned.

He set down the photo and strolled to the window. Looking outside at his front yard, he shifted his head up to view the sky, supposedly where the man in green was looking from high up. Mario decided to make another small prayer to himself.

"Luigi," he whispered, "I'm very glad that you're my brother. You make my life complete. But without you, it hurts me to walk and live every day when I know you're not here. If I could, I'd like to see you again. Even if it was for a couple minutes, it would make my day to talk to you once more."

An alarm went off from the downstairs clock, playing only three-quarters of the bell melody denoting that it was fifteen minutes until nine o'clock.

"I'd better be off now." He turned back to the window. "Luigi, Daisy and I will see you before she returns to Sarasaland. Stay strong, bro, and I'll try as well."

After grabbing his keys of the rack, he exited and locked his front door, making his way to the green warp pipe. Entering inside, he trekked back to the heart of Toad Town.

* * *

 _Location: Peach's Castle_

Mario finally arrived at the castle, just several seconds away from the bell tower ringing to indicate the ninth hour. The Toad guards outside the castle doors bowed to him and allowed him entrance. He ambled inside, and the first thing he saw were a set of orange-colored luggage at the front of the lobby. It didn't take him two seconds to know that those were Daisy's bags. She was already prepared to leave for her upcoming airplane ride.

He walked past the suitcases and a couple of colored Toads who ran by. They were busy working and cleaning up the castle, the same old business they do every other day. He reached Daisy's guest room and knocked thrice.

"Just a minute," the tomboy princess responded.

"Take your time," Mario called from outside the door. He leaned against the wall beside her door as he waited for Daisy to finish her business. While waiting, he heard a high-pitched voice coming from the hallway.

"Hey, Mario!" It was none other than Toad, one of Peach's retainers.

"Morning, Toad. How's it going?"

"Fairly well. Just helping Princess Daisy take her bags down to the front. How about you?" he cautiously asked.

Mario shrugged. "I've been better than I was, that's a fact."

"Are you and Daisy going to, um…" Toad waved his finger around, suggesting what they're going to do even though he couldn't come up with the words.

"Yes," Mario knew what he was referring. "We'll be visiting his grave together again. Same old stuff as we've done over the last week."

Toad sadly frowned. "I'm sorry, Mario. I know how much you miss him. I do, too."

Mario shook his head. "No worries, Toad. I can't do anything about it anymore. Although I'd like to see him again soon, if there was a way."

"Well, who knows? Maybe something special will happen," Toad tried to be optimistic.

"Yeah, you never know what could happen. Just like Sonic surprisingly appearing into our world."

"Oh yeah, I heard about him, and I've seen his face when he was blazing around town. But I've never met him personally."

"You should get to know him. At first, I had my doubts against him. But we talked it out after having some… issues between us. At the moment, we're friends, at least."

"That sounds cool!"

Mario nodded, then looked down each end of the corridor. "I know you said you never met him, but have you at least seen him this morning?"

"I did hear he was up and running early, literally. He's probably running around the kingdom as we're speaking." Mario understood and bobbed his head again. Toad then asked another question. "Hey, I heard rumors that he wanted to find someone. Is that true?"

"Yes. His friends Amy, Cream, and Cheese. If he warped to our dimension from his enemy's accident, then they should be here, too. Even Eggman."

"Eggman?"

"Sonic's archnemesis. He's basically the Bowser of his world."

"Oh."

The two heard Daisy's door open and she walked out of the room with another suitcase.

"Good morning, Mario," she greeted.

"Morning to you, too, Daisy."

"Is that the last one?" Toad pointed.

"Mm-hmm. Thanks again for helping."

"No problem. Anyways, good luck, guys," he spoke before leaving the hallway with the luggage.

"You ready to go?" Mario looked at her.

Daisy stared at the floor before responding. "I guess. Even though I'll be back in my homeland, I'll still pray to him at all times."

Mario slowly grasped her gloved hand and interlocked fingers to assure her. It was tough for the both of them, but he thought they needed comfort.

Daisy saw Mario's blue eyes, indicating that he had the same feelings in regard to their green friend. It made Daisy slightly curve her lips up, happy that Mario was trying to console her. They walked hand in hand down to the backyard garden.

* * *

Moments later, Sonic returned to the castle after his morning run, an activity he hadn't done for so long (unless you counted the afternoon run yesterday). Nonetheless, it was another stress reliever, to get his blood pumping and his adrenaline high. After all, he needed to refocus on his new goal: finding Amy, Cream, and Cheese.

Additionally, he needed to figure out a way to get back home. As much as he was impressed with the Mushroom Kingdom, everyone back home must be wondering where he was. To learn that he's missing in action could be consequential, or even questionable. Since he attempted suicide out of all things, what if his other friends assumed he tried to kill himself a second time? Sonic didn't want them to think otherwise when the reason he was gone was because of Eggman's accident. He had to find a way, but he could only wonder how at the moment.

He re-entered the castle lobby to see the Toads still busy at work. He managed to find himself in the kitchen where he saw a couple Toad chefs and the pink princess.

"Morning, Peach," he greeted.

She turned around to find the blue hedgehog. "Oh, good morning, Sonic! Did you have a good night's sleep?"

He nodded. "Yeah, and it's been a while since I've gotten some well-deserved rest."

Peach understood given the circumstances. He was in the same boat as Mario, and she can could see how both heroes were stressed from their personal tragedies.

"Can I make you something to eat, at least?" she offered kindly.

"I would like that. You got any chili dogs?"

"Hmm… Let me check if we have the ingredients. I'll be right back."

As Peach walked over to the refrigerator, Sonic looked at his surroundings. "By the way, where's Mario?"

"I'd expect him to be in the garden. Because, you know."

"Oh, yeah. I see."

"But Mario should be done soon, and then you two can head out to find your friends. Toadsworth and I will go around Toad Town to ask if they've seen them."

"Cool. Although I'm not the kind of guy who you would call 'patient', I can wait until he's done."

Peach nodded as she stared at the contents inside. "Ooh, looks like we do have the stuff for chili dogs! I'll start making them right now."

"Perfect!" Sonic gave a thumbs-up. "I think I'm going to explore the castle again."

"Okay. Take your time, Sonic."

Sonic left the kitchen, leaving a trail of blue behind. He ventured through the large residence, checking out the same rooms as before and scoping out the library since he never technically saw it himself.

At one point, he did reach the exit to the gardens. And within the distance, the hedgehog spotted the man in red kneeling on the grass next to the orange princess. Both sat in front of the stone monument where their green friend laid. Sonic placed his hand on a pillar, staring at the scene in front of him. It reminded him of how he and Cream would join together in front of Tails' grave to pray for him. It was always heartbreaking to visit their deceased friend, knowing there was no way to bring him back. Mario was also in his shoes where he'd do anything to see his younger brother once more.

But as of now, fate wasn't on their side. Instead, they each suffered a sad, unfortunate outcome that tore their hearts to pieces. Having trouble to pick them up and restore them together, it was tough to recover from the heartbreaks that bestowed them.

Sonic sighed sadly and returned to the kitchen. By the time he came back, Peach completed a batch of chili dogs for the hedgehog. She happened to notice his upset face though.

"Sonic, are you alright?"

"Oh, yeah. I'm fine."

Peach wasn't unsure, but she didn't want to stress out the situation even further. "Well, I finished making these for you," she held a plate of hot chili dogs in front of him.

The hedgehog tossed one in the air and caught it with his other hand. After one bite, he smirked.

"Mmm! This is delicious! You did a nice job, Princess."

Peach giggled. "Thank you. I'm glad you like it."

"You must be very talented at cooking, kind of like Amy."

"I appreciate the compliment, but the cooking is usually done by the Toads here. I'm more of a baker though. I usually make cakes for Mario whenever we throw a party, or after he saves me from Bowser."

Sonic gobbled up the rest of the first chili dog and grabbed another one. "Oh really? So you reward him with sweets?"

"Yeah. But sometimes, I just wish I could be better at defending myself." She looked away from Sonic, her blue eyes glued the floor. "I typically don't fight unless I have to force myself into combat. And Toadsworth becomes overprotective whenever I'm in the line of fire. However, I'm more upset at myself for getting myself captured very easily and frequently. I still appreciate Mario for rescuing me, but I just feel like I'm not good enough for him."

Sonic frowned when he listened to the princess's statement. "Do you care about Mario a lot?"

Peach glanced slightly at him as she set the plate down on a nearby table. "I do, ever since he saved me during his first adventure."

"Well, I'm sure he appreciates you no matter what. Just being yourself is good enough for Mario."

"You think so?"

"I know so."

Peach silently stood there, but managed to smile. "Thank you, Sonic. I never thought you would be so insightful."

Sonic shrugged and chuckled as he took a third chili dog. "Hey, what can I say? I did the same thing when I made up with Mario yesterday. I had to overcome the mistakes I caused."

"I think Mario and Daisy are almost done with their prayers. We should meet them in the front of the castle."

Sonic nodded and followed the princess, awaiting the other two to finish their moment of silence.

* * *

A couple minutes have passed, but Daisy was ready to leave. She walked outside with Mario and some Toads carrying her bags to the Mushroom Carriage. They met up with Peach, Sonic, and Toadsworth who recently joined them.

"Princess Daisy, you have all of your belongings with you, I presume?" the elderly Toad checked.

"Yes. All my suitcases and bags are packed up and ready for transport. Thanks again for accompanying me, Mario."

"You're welcome," the red man bowed.

"Sonic," she turned to the Blue Blur, "despite my confrontations, it has been an honor to meet you. Good luck on finding your friends."

"Thanks, Daisy. I'm gonna need it."

Daisy then turned to her pink friend. "Thanks for letting me stay here for the week," she gave a small embrace. "Please pray to Luigi for me."

"I will, Daisy," Peach promised.

"Your luggage is all packed up, your Highness!" one of the Toads yelled.

"Thanks again. Well, I'm off to Sarasaland. I hope to see you all again soon."

The four gave their farewells to the flower princess as the Mushroom Carriage departed off towards the Mushroom Airport.

After waving goodbye, Mario turned to the hedgehog. "Sorry to make you wait, Sonic. You ready to search for your friends?"

Sonic faced him with a small smirk. "Definitely. I sure hope they're still alright."

"I hope so, as well," said Peach.

"Good luck, Masters Sonic and Mario! We'll do our best to ask anyone from near and far. If we receive any news, we'll report to you as soon as possible!" Toadsworth mentioned.

The heroes nodded and left the castle grounds.

"Where to first, Mario?" Sonic asked.

"I was thinking of heading down south to Boo Woods. A friend of Luigi's might aid us out. Not just for finding your friends, but for helping you get back home."

"Alright, let's go!"

Meanwhile, the princess and brown Toad were about to go around Toad Town until two individuals came up to them.

"Excuse us! Your Highness!"

Peach and Toadsworth turned around to see a pair of Toads. One had green dots and a well-groomed mustache; the other was yellow and boasted some hair, a physical trait that most of the denizens don't have.

"Hmm? Yes, sirs?" Toadsworth fiddled with his eyeglasses.

"Is there something you need?" Peach wondered.

"Yeah," the yellow mushroom responded. "Do you happened to know where Sonic is?"

The two were confused by the question. "I'm sorry? Sonic?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"Why do you need to find him?" Toadsworth raised an eyebrow.

The yellow Toad started to stutter before his green friend spoke up. "Um, we have heard rumors that he's with Mario. And knowing he's the hero of this place, we just wanted to see him, as we're fans."

"Oh, do you happen to be foreign Toads?" Peach questioned.

"Uh, yes! Yes, we are! We resided from Little Fungitown, and we are on vacation traveling in the Mushroom Kingdom when we heard word of a blue hedgehog in this world." **_(3)_**

The yellow Toad looked at Green with a confused face, but the latter twitched his mustache, indicating to improvise.

"Well, to answer your question, they're heading to Boo Woods," Peach pointed to the southern direction.

The green Toad started to shake when the princess mentioned the location. "B-Boo W-Woods?"

"Yes. Is there something wrong?" Toadsworth tilted his head.

"U-uh, n-n-nothing! It's just that… I heard there's scary Boos living in that forest."

"But if they're heading there, then we have to follow them!" Yellow exclaimed.

"Right. Um, thanks again for your help." Green and Yellow bowed to the duo before leaving.

"I wonder what that was about," Peach placed a hand on her chin.

"Well they did mention they wanted to see Master Mario. Even though they're immigrants, they still must have heard of him. They'd probably would want to meet him in person," Toadsworth stated.

"True, but I wonder why the yellow Toad asked about Sonic first."

Toadsworth shrugged. "That I don't know. But right now, let's ask the townspeople if they've seen his buddies."

Peach nodded and walked beside him. However, those two Toads seemed very peculiar to her, especially the green one. Before she could make any more assumptions, she decided to put that aside and returned to her top priority.

* * *

 _Location: Boo Woods_

Sonic was walking next to Mario up the path to a large mansion and a shed found on the front lawn. Although this place was generally spooky, it wasn't that bad since the sky was partly cloudy.

"So who's this friend of yours?" he asked.

"His name is Professor Elvin Gadd, or E. Gadd for short. He helped my brother rescue me twice from a ghost king named King Boo."

Sonic was surprised. "Really? I didn't expect you to be a damsel in distress."

Mario rolled his eyes. "Very funny. But in all seriousness, if it wasn't for Luigi, I'd say King Boo would be ruling the Mushroom Kingdom and every other region by now, even Bowser's realm. He's one of the reasons why he's a hero to this world."

"I can see," Sonic mumbled. "What exactly does this professor do?"

"He's an inventor who makes crazy gadgets and inventions."

Sonic had a twinge in his heart. He looked at the ground as they continued walking. "Kinda reminds me of Tails."

Mario looked at him with a guilty face. "Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't mean-"

"It's cool. It's that I mentioned how Tails is such an expert on making devices and building things, even though he was eight years old and growing. I'm just disappointed I failed as an older brother to protect him. It just isn't right for someone younger to die before the one who's older." **_(4)_**

Mario didn't respond, but he understood his concern. He easily related to Sonic, except he felt more sympathetic considering Sonic only knew Tails for a couple years before he died at such a young age. And that was unfair to them, just for their inseparable bond to break so quickly and unexpectedly.

"Anyways, his hideout is up ahead in that small building there," he pointed.

"Okay. So let's-"

"Hey!"

The two stopped in their tracks when they heard a scream.

"What was that?"

"I don't know," Mario responded. "But it sounded like a Toad."

"Mario!"

The heroes turned around to see two Toads running up to them. They happened to be the same ones who spoke to the princess.

"Phew! We finally… caught up… to you," the green one panted.

"Um, okay?" Mario scratched his head.

"Who are you guys anyway? And do you need something?" Sonic put a hand on his hip.

"Yeah. We're just happy to see you again! I never thought it would work, but it did!" the yellow Toad exclaimed.

"See us again?" they both questioned simultaneously.

"Oh, yeah. I forgot." Green Toad looked at his surroundings, despite being somewhat uncomfortable being in the forest. "You see, we actually know each other."

"We do?" Mario raised an eyebrow.

"Uh-huh," Yellow Toad smiled. "Technically, Green knows you, Mario. And I know you, Sonic. But it's nice to meet the other, too!"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa…" Sonic raised his palms up. "What the hell is going on here? _You_ know _me_?" he pointed at the yellow Toad. "I've only been here for an entire day and you somehow know me?"

"And you," Mario directed at Green, "I've seen many Toads in the Mushroom Kingdom, very few with green dots and a mustache. I don't know if I recognize you specifically."

"And what do you mean by meeting the other?"

"Well, we might as well tell you the truth," said Green.

"Or rather, show you our true selves," corrected Yellow.

"Show us?"

"Do you see these bracelets we're wearing?" Green Toad showed his right wrist, the same with Yellow Toad.

"Yeah… what about them?"

"Well, Sonic, someone designed these for us to travel from one place to another. More specifically, to the place where you guys are."

"And we found out that you were in Mario's world."

Mario sputtered in bewilderment. "How do you even know all of this?"

"Just watch and see," the yellow Toad beamed.

They both pressed a button on their bracelets, creating auras that glimmered over their bodies. Mario and Sonic were stunned, yet still confused about this revelation. Soon, the Toads were covered by a white light that forced the red and blue heroes to block it. When the shine disappeared, two new figures emerged. Both were faint yet visible for them to see. When Mario and Sonic lowered their hands, their eyes were wide open.

"W-What?! L-Luigi?!"

"T-Tails?! I-Is that really you?!"

The two figures simply smiled from ear to ear. "It's great to see you again," they replied together.

To say Mario and Sonic were shocked was an understatement. They weren't just surprised, but speechless. Luigi and Tails had to laugh at their facial expressions. It was quite worth it to witness their reactions to a surprise brotherly reunion.

 ** _END OF CHAPTER_**

* * *

 _'What?! You're telling me that this is to be continued?!' That's probably what you might be thinking of, and I'm sorry that I'm ending it here. On the plus side, this chapter finished on a high note. We'll pick up with these four at the start of Ch. 14, where the reunion resumes in Part 2._

 _Thanks for being patient with this update! Please leave a review based on your reactions to their meet-up, follow/favorite for more chapters, and I'll see you guys next time! This is TGN, signing off._

* * *

 ** _Post-Chapter Notes:_**

 ** _(1):_** _The calendar days will have no order or any significance to this story. I'm just making up these random dates._

 ** _(2):_** _I mentioned this in Hidden Bravery, but for those who don't know, Nintendo announced that Mario is no longer a plumber. Regardless, I'm making the same decision that I don't want to edit out that word after being this far into the story, alongside the fact that I don't care about this news._

 ** _(3):_** _I was referencing the Toads who resided in Little Fungitown, north of the Beanbean Kingdom. This location is found in M&L: Superstar Saga. But as you know, these people I included **aren't** Toads._

 ** _(4):_** _I'm currently taking a college elective that reflects the issues and concepts of dying. One recent topic we learned focuses on children and the effects of them experiencing death. And an aspect is based off the parent or older guardian expressing guilt whenever a child, or a younger relative, dies. There are other feelings and emotions that come into play, and I wanted to incorporate my knowledge into this story (despite how upsetting it is)._


	15. Ch 14: A Surprise Reunion (Part 2)

_A/N: __Special thanks to Pikminfan, Steel Fairy, FairyTalePrincess16, Mitha Sentro, LEGOSonicCraggerfan, and Nai the shiny for your reviews in the last chapter. And thanks to everyone for_ _ **5000+ views**_ _!_

 _Over a month has passed, and I've been extremely busy with exams. But that didn't stop me from writing. I hope this was worth the wait._

 _Speaking of waiting, it's finally the launch day for_ _Super Mario Odyssey_ _! I hope everyone who was anticipating this title got their hands on the game, and is having fun with it! However, please refrain posting spoilers in the reviews. I want to enjoy the game myself without getting spoiled of anything important. Thank you, and I hope you like this one!_

* * *

 _Disclaimer:_ _The story idea is the only thing I own. Mario and Sonic belong to Nintendo and Sega._

* * *

 **Chapter 14:** A Surprise Reunion (Part 2)

Was this real life? What was going on? How was this possible?

That basically summed up Mario and Sonic's thoughts on what appeared in front of them. It was not a joke, nor a dream. It was reality, though it sounds hard to believe. Their younger brothers, Luigi and Tails, respectively, were standing face to face at one another. The latter two couldn't get over their reactions.

"Are… are we dreaming?" Mario stammered.

"No, no you're not, fratello," Luigi chuckled.

"But… how? What are you doing here?" Sonic shook his head with confusion.

"Hehe, looks like we've got some more explaining to do," Tails answered. "However, we only have a limited amount of time."

"Limited amount?"

"Yeah. According to these bracelets, we only have about a half hour left, since we spent the first thirty minutes trying to find you. When we heard you were heading to Boo Woods, we had to catch up so we wouldn't waste this moment."

"Hold on," Mario took off his hat and ran a hand through his hair as he was completely dazed and confused. "Can we go back to the beginning? About how you got those bracelets and why you appeared from the afterlife or wherever?" He put the cap back on as his brother responded.

"Now that you mentioned that, we should start things over," Luigi agreed. "But before we do, I just want to say something. I know I mentioned this before, but… it's great to see you again, Mario."

Said plumber remained in his spot as he saw the green clad spirit extend his right arm toward him. Albeit an angel, more specifically a transparent figure, Mario obliged and drew out his own. Shockingly enough, he grasped Luigi's hand and shook it, as if he was still alive and healthy.

Mario slowly looked up to him. Seconds later, his eyes were filled with happy tears. At the same time, he was overwhelmed from this unforeseen event.

"L-Luigi… It really is you…"

Luigi beamed, also with tears in his eyes, and he pulled his older bro into a warming hug. Mario reciprocated the action as he wrapped his arms over the spirit's body. Luigi may not be 'physically' alive, but the sensation felt as if he never left. It felt like the Mario Bros. were reunited once again. Luigi's warm embrace made Mario emotional in ways he couldn't describe with words. In fact, he didn't need words to explain this. All he needed was his brother.

To reiterate, Mario wasn't one to express his emotions in public. However, he let a tear drop down his cheek. And he wasn't ashamed of it, not one bit.

Sonic was busy admiring his friend's get-together that he almost forgot about the fox until he spoke up.

"Hey, Sonic." Tails easily managed to get his attention. "Now it's my turn. I'm so happy to see you again as well," he gladly replied, raising his right hand to him.

The blue hedgehog stood frozen for a while before he copied his little bro's movement. Just like Mario, he had a powerful sense when he interlocked hands.

With wide, sad eyes, Sonic murmured, "Tails… I still can't believe this…"

"You don't have to. Just take it all in."

Sonic's mouth slightly shuddered into a smile. He couldn't resist and pulled the kitsune into his arms. He squeezed his eyes shut, his chin resting on top of Tails' bangs as he, too, felt a heartfelt sensation. Tails also closed his eyelids. He grinned throughout the duration as it reminded him of the previous times they shared a brotherly hug. Those times whenever he needed Sonic for comfort or assurance that everything would be fine. It was just like the good old days.

Mario and Luigi, who let each other go, witnessed the Mobians' reunion. They couldn't help but smile, especially Mario. He gazed at the two-tailed fox, noticing his appendages waving alternately in slow motion. He then looked at the hedgehog who was still caught up in the moment. And from the side, he saw water leaking from his right eyelid. Mario didn't need to comment on it as he allowed his friend to soak in this experience.

A few moments later, Sonic and Tails released from their hug and smiled at each other. And just like he's done before, the former ruffled the yellow fur of his little bro, causing him to laugh.

"Hehe! Hey, knock it off, Sonic!"

"Oh, come on, buddy," Sonic playfully retorted, "don't act like you don't miss me giving noogies!"

"Hahaha! Okay, okay! You got me! Now let me go!"

Sonic finally released him after playing around. It was the first time in so long that Sonic was more than ecstatic. The fox still kept his smile intact as the two stared at one another. They both gave each other a fist bump, solidifying the Unbreakable Bond they shared since their first encounter. **_(1)_**

"So, Tails… Why are you exactly here?"

"I should ask you the same since you're not in Mobius right now."

"We can kind of explain that side of the story, but you still need to answer our question first," said Mario.

"Okay, bro. We'll tell you all about it," Luigi replied.

* * *

The four of them got themselves comfortable as they sat in a circle on the green grass. Mario and Sonic were sitting across from one another; the same went for Luigi and Tails. They took some time to greet one another; Mario introduced Luigi to Sonic, and Sonic introduced Tails to Mario. The pairs of brothers had a friendly conversation for a little while. Afterwards, the green-hatted angel began the storytelling. Most of the introduction was to describe the afterlife to Sonic since he was the only one who has never heard or seen of it.

"In one of our previous adventures, Mario and I found ourselves in this dark landscape known as the Underwhere, a place where fallen souls go to when their games are over. A week after Tails and I lost our lives, we were sent there. Another week later, we arrived at the Overthere, an opposite environment of the Underwhere and is basically what you think heaven would be; high above in the clouds with a beautiful, blue sky and tons of kind spirits."

"The thing is," Tails interrupted, "I came here after he did, which is ironic since we passed away on the same date."

"True. But regardless, it wasn't that simple to just enter the Overthere. We had to have our sins measured by a woman named Queen Jaydes. She determines our fates in the afterlife. And the following outcomes are like so…

"If one was considered unsuitable due to their wrongs, they would be banished into the depths of that world. If one didn't deserve to suffer, nor even live happily, they would stay in the Queen's land as a normal citizen who lost a life. But if one was deemed worthy to have a peaceful life, she will allow access to the Overthere. It's run by the Queen's significant other, King Grambi. In fact, he was the one to introduce me to Tails, and that's how we met each other."

"I see," Sonic nodded his head.

"We became friends after that," Tails smiled. "I was grateful to meet him since he showed me around the Overthere. I got to greet a lot of the Nimbis, and everyone was so nice, especially Grambi. He's actually the reason why we're here."

"How did he manage to do that?" Mario wondered.

Tails extended his right wrist to Mario, showing off the accessory again. "This is a Brotherhood Bracelet. Grambi and some special Nimbi guardians devised these for us. Luigi has a green one, and we also have one for each of you!"

The fox reached in his tails to take out a blue bracelet while Luigi dug in his pocket to reveal a red one. They attached them to their brothers' arms.

"What these bracelets do is to allow us to travel from the heavens and to your current location. When he revealed that you were suddenly in Mario's world, he gave us the opportunity to warp here and meet you by surprise!"

"But as we said before, we have to return to our new home since we aren't technically 'revived' at all," Luigi moped.

"It doesn't matter," the red man shook his head. "I'm just happy to see you again, Weege."

"As am I with you, little buddy," Sonic smiled at Tails. "And it's nice to meet the other, as well. We'll just make the most of it until you guys have to leave."

"Right. Anyways, Grambi wanted us to give you these. Whenever you're feeling down, you can use these bracelets as a souvenir to think about us, knowing that we'll be fine and we'll watch out for ourselves. And theoretically, we'll always look down on you if you're feeling blue."

"Come on, Tails. You should know better than that. I'm already blue!" Tails rolled his eyes, but he couldn't hide a smile from his cheesy joke. "Nonetheless, I must say, they look pretty cool!

"I'm glad you like them," Tails reached over to hug Sonic.

"Even though we'll be staying in the Overthere for eternity, we'll never forget about you, or this experience," Luigi replied.

"You know," Mario pondered in deep thought, "I've always wondered if the Overthere has changed at all. Especially Luvbi."

"Luvbi?" Sonic raised an eyebrow.

"She is Grambi's daughter. And believe me," Luigi directed at Mario, "she's more mature compared to her old self when she made fun of our mustaches. What hasn't changed is her high energy though," he chuckled.

"I can see that coming from her. The energy part, not the maturity. But she must have been raised well. After all, it's Grambi we're talking about."

"Hey, Luigi. You mentioned before that you and Mario found yourselves in that hellish counterpart, the Underwhere, right?" Luigi nodded at the hedgehog. "And you two eventually visited the Overthere in that same journey?"

"That's right."

"Only we were both alive at the time, and we visited for a different reason," Mario murmured.

"And what was that reason?"

Mario realized that he accidentally brought up a past event when he swore that he would keep it a secret to himself, Peach, and even Bowser. However, Sonic was curious. Reluctantly, he decided to answer his question.

"Um, you see…" he wondered how to start. "In our dimension, a person known as Count Bleck forced Princess Peach and my archnemesis, Bowser, to be wed, only to construct a dark artifact called the Chaos Heart. What that thing did was create the Void, a massive black hole in the skies of all dimensions, waiting to grow and consume every single world until nothing exists anymore."

"To be wed? You don't mean that the princess is married to that Koopa you described before?"

"Oh, heavens no. Although I hate to imagine if she was kidnapped and forced to be married by his side, under his circumstances. That would be anything but captivating." **_(2)_**

"But he has brought up the topic of marriage before," the man in green mumbled.

Mario already knew what he was referring: the time when Bowser spoke of it on the night Luigi sacrificed his life. Trying to keep his mind off it, he resumed his story.

"Along the way, I had to collect the eight Pure Hearts that would form the Purity Heart and counteract Count Bleck's creation. Peach, Bowser, and Luigi helped me in their own ways, as well as these magical creatures called Pixls."

"Wait a minute. You teamed up with Bowser? Why?"

"We had no choice. Despite him being selfish and obnoxious, he actually contributed to helping out the team. However, it wasn't the first time the princess and I had to join forces with him to stop a different villain…

"Nonetheless, we had to find the last Pure Heart in that world, while at the same time, escort Luvbi from the Underwhere to the Overthere. That's because we heard word of a monster escaping from the hellish depths. And the queen didn't want to put her life at risk with such a dark beast on the loose…

"After we encountered Grambi, he was in danger, as well as Luvbi, because that monster invaded the temple and searched for the Pure Heart. After we defeated him, we learned the truth that Grambi and Jaydes' daughter was the Pure Heart itself. Long story short, despite all the drama that occurred afterwards, she willingly ceased to help us carry on with our quest to stop Count Bleck, who we did defeat later on… Before something else terrible happened…"

Luigi stared at Mario when he trailed off that last sentence. The Mobians were slightly bewildered since they don't know anything about this.

"Mario," his brother started. "What happened?"

"You mean you don't remember anything after your first visit to the Overthere?" Tails tilted his head.

"I could only remember what happened prior to the defeat of Count Bleck, but not much."

Mario sighed as he recalled the terrible memory. "Well, you see, Count Bleck constructed the Void because he had lost hope of searching for his lover after she disappeared from his life due to terrible fate. He thought all worlds were meaningless without her. But he managed to find her, who happened to be our friend, Tippi. Initially, she was a woman named Timpani, who was the love life of Count Bleck before she got separated from him and was transformed into a Pixl. She lost most of her memory, but it resurfaced, including the part where she knew and loved Bleck, or Blumiere, which was his real name…

"But after we defeated him with the Pure Hearts, after he accepted defeat, there was a jester named Dimentio, a former minion of the Count, who went behind his back for his own selfish cause of destroying all worlds and creating new ones to rule. He outplayed everyone. The Count, Timpani, the entire gang, and most of all… you, Luigi…"

The three heard a crack in Mario's voice, wondering what he was going to say next. From there, he felt he needed to confess something to his sibling, who stared at him with surprise written on his face.

"He took advantage of the Chaos Heart and Luigi to transform into a massive giant named Super Dimentio. Bowser, Peach, the Pixls, and I had no choice but to defeat him. At the same time, we had to hurt Luigi, who was possessed against his will. But this was even worse than the other times we fought him before that battle."

"Other times?" Luigi repeated.

Mario looked away, his face focusing on the ground. "Weege… You were brainwashed as one of Count Bleck's assistants. You were known as Mr. L. We beat you twice, and you nearly died because Dimentio sent you to the Underwhere, which led to me finding you after so long since we were separated at Bowser's Castle. And I eventually learned the hard truth that I ended up hurting you, when I never realized it was you in the first place. I can never forgive myself for that."

Luigi didn't say a word. Instead, he frowned. Sonic and Tails had neutral expressions, remaining quiet as the red man continued his speech.

"Going back to the Super Dimentio fight, the damage was done, and Dimentio exploded into nothing. However, when he released Luigi, who seemed to have lost his memory after the fight, he left behind a shadow to keep the destruction intact. Tippi and Bleck sacrificed their lives by expressing their love to each other and got rid of the Chaos Heart, as well as the Void, by the power of the Purity Heart and their vows…

"When they were gone, I made a pact with both Peach and Bowser that we wouldn't bring this up to discussion again. Especially not to you, Luigi…"

Luigi, Sonic, and Tails were silent as they were surprised from this revelation. And for the younger Mario brother, he couldn't believe his ears on what he heard.

"Mario, if that was all true, then it was never your fault back there. If I was brainwashed, you still managed to defeat me when the worse I could've done was kill you by my own hands. So, in a way, I guess I'm grateful for you stopping me."

Sonic scrutinized the red plumber's face. He discerned that it was full of regret and guilt. And he still kept his eyes away from Luigi.

"Hey, Mario. I have something to ask you."

"Yes?" he whispered cautiously.

"Why did you hide all of that from me?"

Mario shot a glance to his left to see his brother gazing at him. His eyebrows were furrowed, and his eyes were watering when he didn't say a word.

He let out another sigh. "I didn't want to possibly scare you in the case your memory does come back to you. I was worried I might cause you to have horrible flashbacks or nightmares that could scare you. As I kept that secret to myself, I always linger in shame for not exposing this to you. I was such a coward. I'm sorry, mio fratello."

Luigi blinked as he maintained his frown. He also wiped the tears before they could fall down. But he slowly understood his older bro's explanation. He didn't fully accept the truth, yet he could see where he was going with it.

"I-It's okay, Mario. If it was for the better, then I'm not going to be mad at you."

Mario nodded, but internally he was upset for concealing that secret in the first place. And talking about it didn't make him feel better.

Sonic took in all this information, regarding how Tails and Luigi met each other, what the Overthere was, how they managed to visit him and Mario, and even how serious his friend's backstory put him through tough times in the past.

He was about to say something, but the kit reminded him of something else. "Hey, Sonic. Can you now explain why _you're_ here?"

"Oh, that's right. Sorry, I was so caught up on Mario's story."

"Nah, it's okay. But we should hurry. My alarm went off indicating we have five minutes to wrap it up."

Sonic understood and leaned back, his hands outstretched behind his back and on the lawn. He looked up at the blue, cloudy sky.

"It all started a week after I lost you, Tails. I visited your grave every day since the day we buried you. Amy and Cream came to visit as well. Cheese, too."

"Wait. S-Sorry, but I couldn't help but know. How is Cream, by the way?"

Sonic cleared his throat. "Um… I'll get to that soon. Can I continue?"

"Sure. Go ahead."

"We were all there to pray that you would be okay. You know how much I care about you, buddy. Since the day I took you in as my little bro, I swore I'd protect you at all costs. And when I don't, I feel defeated. That's how I felt after you were gone. I was at a loss. I'd try to stay strong for you, because you'd probably want me to feel that way. So, I would always try to stay positive. It's just so hard to do though. And as if life was hard enough to deal with, it got even worse when… Eggman interfered…"

Everyone saw Sonic's face, his emerald eyes expressed ire.

"Eggman? You mean, your main enemy?" Luigi asked.

Sonic slowly bobbed his head 'yes'. "What he did was nearly unforgivable. After taking in your death like it was a good thing, he set me off again. I wanted to destroy his damn face for being such a pain in my ass. But, he revealed the ray gun."

Tails gasped with both his eyes and mouth agape. "Oh, my goodness…"

"I stopped, and he caught me in his hands. He didn't shoot me. But, he did try to aim at Amy and Cream." Another gasp escaped from Tails. "He threatened to roboticize them. If I didn't agree, he would kill them on the spot."

"They aren't dead as well, are they?!"

"No! But… something did happen. And that led to me being transported to Mario's planet."

"What exactly happened?" Luigi spoke.

"Sonic, if you feel uncomfortable at all-"

"No," he stopped Mario. "I can tell them." He paused once again before taking in a deep breath. "When he shot at them, he missed, thankfully. However, he used the power of the Chaos Emeralds that time to shoot the gun. Once it hit the ground, a black hole suddenly formed. It floated to the sky and grew in size. Its force pulled everyone in. First, it took Cream and Cheese. Then Eggman. And then Amy. When I was alone, I had no other choice but to be sucked in, too."

Tails and Luigi were horrified to hear about the incident. Mario bit his lip as it was the second time he heard about this. He felt terrible for his friend.

"Then, I suddenly appeared here yesterday. From what Mario and Princess Peach told me, I interfered in a fight when they were facing Bowser."

"He trespassed the kingdom _again_?"

"He did," Mario confirmed Luigi's question.

"Of course he would."

"Apparently I hit him when they were in the middle of it. I was unconscious afterwards, but they nursed me until I woke up from a coma. That was when I met Mario and the others. When I told them about what happened back at the Mystic Ruins, my first instinct was to leave and go find them, in the case they also teleported to this world. Mario had offered to help. Initially, there was some tension here and there. But, I accepted his assistance since I'm desperate to rescue our friends."

"Tension? Why would there be any of that?" Tails contemplated.

"Uh, I don't feel comfortable if either of us explained what occurred," Mario hesitated.

"Is it personal to you guys?" Luigi questioned.

"Yeah, sort of," Sonic shrugged.

"Then, don't feel obligated to share something if you're not open to it. We can understand."

 _"Now I wished I hadn't told Sonic all that,"_ Mario thought.

"Sorry. I didn't mean to go in another direction. You can continue, Sonic."

"Oh, you're fine, Tails. I'm technically done with my side of the story. We still have to find Amy, Cream, and Cheese. And Mario guided me here to see someone who might help us get back home to Mobius. Uh, what was his name again?"

"Professor Elvin Gadd. Or E. Gadd, for short."

"Yeah, that's it."

"Oh, wow. I haven't talked to the professor in ages. And I wonder how Colombo is right now."

"Colombo?" Tails reiterated.

"Oh, he's my doggy. A ghost dog, in fact."

"Really? That's fascinating. Wait, if he's a ghost, why isn't he part of the Overthere?"

"Because he actually lived in another place of the Mushroom Kingdom where a bunch of friendly ghosts help E. Gadd with his inventions and paranormal research. I had some trouble with him when he was negatively influenced. But he turned out to be an innocent, playful dog. And thus, I adopted him. But he isn't 'dead' in that context."

"Oh, yeah. It was that time when King Boo destroyed the Dark Moon, just after he kidnapped me a second time," Mario groaned.

"King Boo? That's sounds like King Boom Boo, a ghost king from our dimension," recalled Tails. **_(3)_**

"Well, King Boo is the ruler of a horde of ghosts known as Boos. He invaded this region beforehand and it's where he held me hostage the first time. In a spooky mansion that was once there," he pointed at Luigi's current mansion.

"Is that why this place is called Boo Woods?"

"Sort of. Boos generally haunt this place. But it's been quiet most of the time since E. Gadd resides here."

"And King Boo still frightens me to this day, even if I'm not alive," Luigi shivered. "Hey, Mario, if you could on my behalf, could you say 'hi' to both of them for me?"

"I mean, I can. But, wouldn't they think that I've gone insane or something? From all this, I'd being asked to do a favor for someone who isn't alive. Look at you! You're an angel! A transparent soul! My… lost brother…"

Luigi reconsidered his request. "Then, can you at least bring up the idea that I'll be watching down on them, like I promised I do to you, Peach, and Daisy?"

"I guess so. I'll just have to see how I can phrase it without complicating things. Not that it's bad or anything. It would just raise a question mark if I make a mistake."

"I understand, Mario. Either way, _grazie_."

" _Prego_ , Luigi."

Suddenly, the four heard Luigi and Tails' bracelets go off at the one minute warning. Sadly, their reunion had come to an end.

"Oh, no. It's almost time for us to depart," Luigi sighed as he and the others stood up.

"At least we got to spend one more moment together, only as an entire group," Mario looked on the bright side.

"Man, this is going to be rough saying goodbye again," Tails pined.

"Aw, don't feel sad, buddy. As long as you stay strong, and I do the same thing, we'll get through the tough times together, long distance or not. And soon, maybe we'll run next to each other again, and have adventures like before," Sonic smiled.

"Yeah, I guess you're right," he grinned back. Tears started to form in his azure eyes. "I love you, big bro," he hugged Sonic.

Said hedgehog wrapped his arms around Tails and laid his chin on top of his head again. "And I love you, too, little bro."

Luigi turned to his own sibling. "Mario, don't forget that I will always love you as my older brother. You've helped me become a lot braver and stronger than before. And I have to thank you for that."

"Oh, Luigi… You're welcome, and I love you as mio fratellino," he expressed a sad smile.

The Mario Bros. hugged it out as a breeze of wind flew by them. Their hats barely danced to the whooshing motion.

"I'm going to miss you, Mario."

"I'll miss you, too, Weege. But don't think of this as goodbye. I'll just see you later."

Luigi quivered, but he curved his lips upward. A teardrop fell down his cheek and reached his black mustache. "Right. See you later."

By the time both pairs released from their hugs, the older brothers stood beside each other, likewise with the younger ones. A light began to glow from the forms of Tails and Luigi. It was time for them to return to the Overthere. They clashed hands with each other, gave their older bros one more look, and smiled at them.

" _Addio_ , Mario. **_(4)_** It was also nice to meet you, Sonic the Hedgehog," said Luigi.

"Goodbye, Sonic. Glad I got to know you as well, Mario. And good luck finding Amy and the others. Let them know that I still miss them," Tails replied.

"I will, Tails. And I'll make sure to find them," Sonic gave a thumbs-up.

"We hope to meet again soon," Mario responded.

At that moment, the bracelets engulfed the angels in a bright light. It eventually disappeared where they were gone in front of them.

The two heroes sighed as they took into account that they said goodbye to their brothers once more. Only this wasn't much of a despondent parting. It was rather a sincere farewell. Sad, but sincere. And hopefully, it wouldn't be the last time.

"Never would've I thought that we would see our brothers again. That felt so unreal," admired Sonic.

"Unreal, yes. But it did happen," Mario beamed. The two stood in silence for a while. "Come on, Sonic. Let's go see the professor."

He nodded at him. "Okay, Mario. Let's go."

The plumber and the hedgehog walked side by side as they approached the old man's bunker. At the same time, they couldn't stop thinking about Luigi and Tails. But rather than being depressed, they were delighted to get another chance to talk to them. Although it was somewhat short-lived, it warmed their hearts to know that they're okay. And they couldn't be happier in any other way.

 ** _END OF CHAPTER_**

* * *

 _Did this chapter hit you in right in the feels? If so, I'm sorry, and I'm not sorry at the same time. That was my goal when I started this section. And I feel proud of the end result._

 _Next time on New Brotherhood, Sonic will meet Professor E. Gadd, who will help him on finding a way back home. Then, he and Mario will have to figure out where his friends are._

 _I wish everyone is having a great Friday, and everyone who has Mario Odyssey a fantastic time playing the game. As for me, I'll see you guys in Ch. 15! This is TGN, signing off._

* * *

 ** _Post-Chapter Notes:_**

 ** _(1):_** _To clear things up, Luigi and Tails' angelic souls are in physical form in the Overthere, but they converted into translucent figures when they returned to the real world. Their interactions with Mario and Sonic remained the same as if they were still living. However, as Grambi declared in Ch. 12, they are NOT reincarnated._

 ** _(2):_** _This PCN should be self-explanatory. But for those who don't know, Bowser kidnaps Peach in Super Mario Odyssey, only for a marriage proposal. Thus, Mario must go on a **cap** -tivating adventure with his new companion, Cappy, to rescue her and Cappy's sister, and to stop the wedding._

 ** _(3):_** _King Boom Boo was a boss first featured in Sonic Adventure 2. He's a large ghost king like King Boo, but these two are different from each other in their own ways._

 ** _(4):_** _Here are the English translations for these Italian terms:_

 ** _Grazie_** _\- Thank you  
_ ** _Prego_** _\- You're welcome  
_ ** _Addio_** _\- Goodbye_


	16. Ch 15: Finding a Way Home

_ A/N: I apologize for not posting in November, but thanks for all the reviews from the last chapter. I'm happy that I hit the mark when I wrote up the brotherly reunion. Now that I'm done with finals this semester, I can continue writing for the next month! Today, we're heading right back into more serious matters, starting with two characters that haven't been seen since Tails' funeral._

 ** _*NOTE:_** ** _I had to re-edit this chapter due to minor mistakes or dialogue reconstruction._**

* * *

 _Disclaimer:_ _Sonic belongs to Sega, Mario is owned by Nintendo, and I only take credit for the story._

* * *

 **Chapter 15:** Finding a Way Home

 _Location: Angel Island_

Angel Island, a large, floating isle. Yeah, it sounds bizarre, but it's an actual location. In Sonic's world, that is. And on that island were various locations including dense forests, ancient ruins, mountains, and deserts.

It was also home to an ancient civilization where a tribe of echidnas guarded a large, influential artifact. That artifact was known as the Master Emerald, an enormous green gem that possesses immense power. Although it drew connections to the seven Chaos Emeralds, it was a counter against them, to override their own powers and control them. It was also the source to keep the island afloat. Otherwise, with its disappearance, the place would threaten to fall out of the sky. There were many instances where the Master Emerald was disrupted by Dr. Eggman for his selfish deeds. And there was an individual who was responsible of defending the precious emerald.

That guardian was Knuckles the Echidna.

In the case that the Emerald was broken into shards, or was taken away, he had to collect the pieces that were spread throughout Mobius and repair it before Angel Island could plummet. Or, he could use it as a source to communicate with it and invalidate the Chaos Emeralds.

But at the moment, all he did was guard it. He sat at the top of the stony staircase that led to the resting place at the peak of the ruins. For countless hours and days, he had to fulfill his duty, no matter how tedious it was. But that wasn't the only thing on his mind. In fact, he had two things.

One of which was obvious, Tails. Since the funeral, he has mostly moved on from his death. But that didn't mean he didn't forget how much the young kitsune contributed to their combined adventures. He remembered the first time when he met him and Sonic, back when he was under the impression that the two infiltrated Angel Island to steal the Master Emerald. It was only a matter of time before he realized he was duped by Eggman, leaving the inseparable duo to return the artifact back to its original home. **_(1)_**

Knuckles slightly chuckled. Despite his gullibility, he remembered how Tails would be the one to take the situation seriously without having to fight. There were various instances where he and Sonic fought each other, mostly as friendly banter. It all started from that first encounter. Usually, the fox was there to ease tensions between the two rivals. Knuckles had to respect him for being not just a caring person, but as a great friend.

Then, the echidna frowned. Other than Tails' early departure, the second thing that made him concerned was the disappearance of Sonic. Last night, he received a signal from the Master Emerald, and found out that he was gone, alongside Amy, Cream, Cheese, and Dr. Eggman. No one has seen or heard from them since. Knuckles asked his peers for help, but there was no luck.

Knuckles wasn't a guy who worries a lot. He can maintain his cool, until someone angers him. For this scenario though, he could only wonder what happened yesterday.

 _"Where are you, Sonic?"_ he stared at the moving sea of clouds.

He got up from his spot and decided to walk around the Master Emerald, trying to clear his mind. Later, he saw a flashing light, where the silver hedgehog landed in front of him.

"Silver? What's up?"

"Knuckles, I think I got a lead on where Sonic and the others are."

His eyes widened. "You do?"

"I believe so. But it's a bit complicated to explain."

"Just let it out."

"Okay. But to start things off, I wasn't able to do anything to prevent Tails' catastrophe. It's a shame to see him gone, and I can't believe it's been a while since the funeral."

Knuckles veered his sight away from Silver. "Don't remind me."

"Sorry. Anyways, I received a random vision, regarding Sonic and the incident in the Mystic Ruins. When Eggman tried to… 'hurt' Amy, Cream, and Cheese, a black hole came from the ray gun when it was overheating from the source of the Chaos Emeralds."

"So that's why they were gone in the first place." Knuckles grunted, clenching his fists. "That damn Eggman is ruthless."

"What's worse is that the black hole sucked and sent them to a different area."

"A different area? You mean like an alternate universe, or Mobius in the future?"

"No," Silver shook his head. "I literally mean another place. I examined it the best I could from the vision that popped up, but it was unrecognizable. All I saw was a large castle, green grass, weird-looking mushrooms, a bunch of denizens that seem to look like those mushrooms, and a whole lot more. But it didn't seem like a place in our dimension."

"Is that where Sonic and the others are?"

"I know for sure Sonic was there, but I couldn't find the others. Nonetheless, it's highly possible they're somewhere in that same, peculiar world if the black hole sent him there."

Knuckles nodded before he walked back to the top step of the stairs. He turned his head to face him. "Do you know how we could get there?"

"Maybe." Silver dug a hand in his quills to pull out an object. And that object was the white Chaos Emerald.

"Where did you get that?!"

"This was sent to me in my time period, which was how I received the vision. I don't why it made it to my time period, but I used it to teleport here to tell you about this. With this lone Emerald, there's a slight chance we can warp to the place Sonic is currently at. That way, we can save him and help him return to our world, before anything terrible happens." **_(2)_**

"What terrible things could happen?"

"If the link between that world and Mobius are connected to one another, it may cause disaster and Chaos. Think about it, two separate locations could possibly merge into one, or either world could disintegrate due to the dark energy caused by the black hole."

Knuckles didn't understand the logic. "How does the black hole have anything to do with that?"

"I have no clue," Silver shrugged. "But one way or another, we have to bring back Sonic and the rest of them, even Eggman. And that's where the Chaos Emerald comes into play."

"Should we invite Blaze, Shadow, and the others?"

"The more the merrier. We can cover more ground to search for everyone."

"You can go get Blaze and the Chaotix, and I can recruit Shadow and Rouge."

"Gotcha. Let's meet back here as soon as possible."

"Alright. See you soon."

Silver disappeared through Chaos Control, leaving Knuckles alone again. The echidna followed suit by gliding down the ruins to find the ebony hedgehog and the bat.

"Don't worry, Sonic. We'll get you back home."

* * *

 _Location: Boo Woods_

The two approached the small shelter where E. Gadd resided. Mario knocked on the door thrice and awaited a response. Typically, the professor checked his security camera outside the front to see who was visiting. But this time, he personally opened the door to greet them in person.

"Mario! What a surprise! It's nice to see you for a while," E. Gadd grinned. "So what brings you here? And who is your blue friend of yours?" he pointed at the hedgehog.

"It's good to see you too, Professor. This is Sonic. Sonic the Hedgehog. He's from a place called Mobius." Sonic gave the old man a wave after Mario introduced him.

"Well, any friend of Mario's is welcome here to my little abode. Although, I haven't been up too much lately besides some spring cleaning."

"But it's nearly the start of summer."

"Hmm, I guess it'd be cleaning in general, then. Either way, come on in, gentlemen." Mario and Sonic followed the man after shutting the front door. "So, Sonic, where exactly is this place, Mobius?"

"I can't really explain that. But all I know is that I got transported into Mario's world after an accident."

"Is that so? Pray tell, do you mind telling me what happened?"

Even though he's already explained it too many times, Sonic was nice enough to tell him the backstory from yesterday. E. Gadd was intrigued by it.

"Wowzers, that's a horrible predicament to be a part of. I'm terribly sorry for you."

"It's fine. Mario and the guys at the castle nursed me to health. Now I'm on a hunt to find my missing friends and figure out how I'm gonna back to Mobius."

"The princesses are safe, at least?"

"Yeah. But anyways, we decided to visit you because we were wondering if there was a way you could help Sonic."

"I'd be happy to assist you for your troubles. But first things first, I should develop some blueprints for a new invention. Off the top of my head, I can try to create a portal to bring you back to your home planet."

"I would appreciate that."

"Excellent. I'll get started right away. And as for your missing friends-"

"BARK! BARK!"

E. Gadd was interrupted by some loud barking, prompting him, Sonic, and Mario to shift their heads in that direction. A ghost dog came running into the lab with an angry face and gritted teeth. He pounced on the hedgehog by surprise. Sonic fell on his back with the Polterpup scowling at him, paws pressed on his fawn chest.

"Hey! Colombo! Bad boy!" the old man struggled to pull him away. Mario had to be there for extra help so that he could get up from the ceramic floor. E. Gadd held onto Colombo tightly to prevent him from attacking Sonic again.

Rubbing a hand on his stomach, he narrowed his eyes. "What the hell is that supposed to be?"

"I'm sorry, Sonic. That's Colombo, Luigi's pet Polterpup. Otherwise, a ghost dog," explained Mario.

"Wait? This is Colombo?"

"Yes," E. Gadd nodded. "Believe me, though. He's more tame and frisky than aggressive. But to strangers, no offense to you, is a somewhat different story. I presume Colombo thought you were an evil force of some sorts."

"He's actually well obedient for the most part. But he might get too physical, which you were a part of earlier. Usually it's just to play around. Yet like E. Gadd mentioned, he'll always go on the defensive side when he sees someone who isn't familiar to his own eyes, even if we're involved."

"Now Colombo," the professor addressed the Polterpup as he set him down. Sonic took a step back in case he needed to run away. "This is our new friend, Sonic the Hedgehog. We are to treat him with kindness and respect, and what you did was the opposite of that. I want you to apologize to him right now."

Colombo changed his angry appearance to a remorseful one. His mistake for judging and attacking Sonic made him fathom that he did a bad thing. He slowly sauntered to the blue animal, big puppy eyes looking up to him. He whined with an echo, showing how sorry he was for his misconduct.

Sonic couldn't stay mad at the dog. To him, he didn't seem to be that bad. He kneeled on the floor and rubbed his hand on the Polterpup's head. Even though Colombo was a ghost, his body wasn't that transparent, which allowed Sonic to pet him. Everyone had smiles on their faces.

"Heh… You're not too shabby, dude. And I forgive you for tackling me." Sonic received a lick to the face. He laughed it off and wiped the saliva off his muzzle.

"Nice to see you on good terms now," the old man chortled.

"Luigi said he adopted him, right?" he asked Mario while rubbing the Polterpup's belly.

Mario smiled sadly. "Mm-hmm. And he named him Colombo for his love of exploring worlds and going on adventures."

E. Gadd looked at the older brothers with confusion. "I'm sorry. What did you say?"

"About why he's named Colombo?"

"No, the thing before that. What Sonic mentioned earlier."

"You mean about Luigi-" The hedgehog suddenly widened his eyes and whipped his head at Mario, mirroring his gaze. They both didn't pay attention to what came out of his mouth until the professor asked them. "Oh, I meant… Uh…"

"What Sonic meant to say is that… He was wondering how Colombo was adopted," Mario sweated. "I explained the story to him. Sonic got it. But he was probably still a bit dazed from the concussion he suffered when he fell into our world.

Sonic shot the plumber a glance and nodded, signaling his thanks for covering up the lie. It didn't work though.

"Did you happen to connect with Luigi somehow?" Mario and Sonic cautiously stared at E. Gadd after he asked that question. "Gentlemen, my instinct tells me that there's something abnormal going on." They blinked once. "However, I won't force you to talk about it if it's personal. I was just confused."

"It's… complicated, and personal at the same time. But, I have a good feeling that Luigi's looking down on us, and he wants to say with all his heart that he misses us dearly. The three of us, Daisy, Peach, and all of our friends who know him since the beginning of time…"

Sonic remembered Mario's promise about Luigi giving his regards indirectly. He hoped it was well said to E. Gadd, knowing how much the man in green was respectful towards him.

The short man breathed through his nose. He adjusted his lab coat for a second. "Whatever the case may be, I'm sure that statement rings true. I, too, have that feeling that he's perfectly happy in heaven, or wherever he is."

There was a moment of silence in the lab. It didn't last long when Mario spoke up, seeing something shiny from the corner of his eye.

"Hey, Professor. What's that?" he pointed at a blue, glowing object encased in a glass box.

He walked over to the shelf to pick up the item and showed it to Mario up close. "You mean this?"

Sonic instantly took notice of it. "What the? That's a Chaos Emerald!"

"A Chaos Emerald?"

"You mean one of those gems that Eggman used to charge up his weapon? That's what it looks like?"

"Yeah! How did you manage to find one of these?!"

"I was busy building some small inventions until I heard a crash outside my bunker. I went outside to see if anyone was visiting. No one was there, but I was rather suspicious. I checked the surrounding area, up until I saw something unusual in front of the mansion. I opened the gate and walked up to find this on the front lawn. It made a small hole in the ground, but the gem, or Chaos Emerald as you seem to call it, seems to be perfectly intact. No harm, no foul. Yet I couldn't distinctly recognize such a precious artifact. I kept it in my lab for safekeeping. But if you know more about it, then I would gladly give it to you if you could explain why they are important."

"I can explain it. But it's a very long story."

"Go ahead, Sonic. We'll listen to you," said Mario.

Sonic nodded. "Okay. You see, in our home, these Chaos Emeralds are ancient relics that are linked to an even bigger one called the Master Emerald. There isn't a protector to these objects, but certain individuals who wield all seven can exert their unlimited powers to do incredible things, as well as bad intentions. Either way, the one who holds them can control them at their own will. They can be used to save the world, or destroy an entire area. They were always in the middle of something miraculous or dangerous. Usually after they've been gathered, they become separate after every time someone uses them. Meaning that if they want to find them, they'll have to search high and low to claim them once more…

"In my case, I have the ability to use the positive energy of the Emeralds to transform into what is called a Super state. My fur turns gold, my quills become more pointed, I have higher speed, and I become invincible at times. I'm not the only one who can achieve this though. Some others, like my friends Shadow and Silver, who are also hedgehogs, can become Super and use Chaos Control to teleport or fight with power. Others can possess certain capabilities, but they are quite limited to them, which includes my other friends Knuckles and… Tails…"

Mario noticed how Sonic's face was scrunched up into an angry frown. He didn't comment on it, but he remained wary of it.

"On the other hand, enemies like Dr. Eggman, who I mentioned before, as well as a robot duplicate of myself, and many others can take control of the Emeralds' negative side to fortify themselves for the wrong reasons. Evil could take upon Mobius, where the Emeralds can wipe out an entire clan of animals, a huge population of a city, or even the whole world. In the nature of Egghead, he uses the Emeralds to increase his robots' strength or to build the most extreme, mechanical androids as an attempt to defeat me once and for all. He's failed numerous times by me, because I do it for what's right…

"Making sure everyone is safe, unharmed, and able to live happily without having to deal with so much stress and problems in their hands. I loathe it whenever something factors into obliteration or anything along those lines. And I've expressed my discontent even more ever since he killed my best friend."

Mario laid a hand on Sonic's shoulder, rubbing it smoothly to ease his temper. He fidgeted his mouth from the soft contact, but he appreciated his friend's support. He smiled a little when Colombo whimpered, expressing sympathy towards him.

"But yeah. The seven Chaos Emeralds are completely vital to transform thoughts into power. **_(3)_** When I use them, I generate positive energy and have stronger attacks and abilities to defeat monstrous enemies or to overcome a tough obstacle. But to this day, I still don't know how I'm able to do all of that, nor could I control their powers easily. Yet, I just… do it. I do it for the sake of the planet. I'd do anything to help my friends and myself from falling under the rule of Eggman or whatever evil that encounters me. If it means to continue living life to the fullest, I'd go to the ends of the earth to do whatever it takes to prevent anything catastrophic to happen."

The professor stood in awe before speaking. "My goodness… I would never have thought that these Emeralds are _that_ significant. But now I know why."

"So do I," Mario whispered. "However, maybe it could be the key to bringing you back home."

"What?"

"Didn't you say you can transport with the Chaos Emeralds? Maybe if we collect all seven of them, you can go back to your home planet. And if E. Gadd had found one of them, it's more than likely that the other the six have made it here, too. With his help, we can use their energy to activate the portal to your dimension that way!"

"Huh, that's a really good idea! Nice thinking, Mario!"

"I might as well get started on building that contraption. Meanwhile, you said that you two needed to go find your friends, right? Maybe you could ask Merluvlee the fortune teller to give you a hint or a look-see to find your next path."

"I almost forgot about her," Mario scratched his chin. "She's helped me so many times whenever I felt lost or didn't know where to go in my past journeys. We might as well go back to Toad Town."

"Sounds good to me."

"You should probably take this with you," Gadd raised the Emerald to Sonic.

"Actually, maybe you should hold onto it."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah. You might need it to get the portal a small boost of power. A little help doesn't hurt to start off."

"Alright. I'll work hard all day to help out! I'll give you fellers a call if I uncover any discoveries or if I need to ask you a question regarding the Chaos Emeralds."

"Thanks, E. Gadd. We really appreciate it."

"Anytime, Mario. Good luck on finding your friends, too, Sonic."

"I'm gonna need it. It was nice to meet you."

"I feel the same way."

"Bark! Bark!"

"Hehe, nice to see you, too, Colombo. Just don't go pouncing on me again, alright?"

"Ruff!"

"Alright, Mario. Let's head back."

"I'm with you on that. Goodbye, guys!"

"See you later, you two!"

Mario and Sonic exited the bunker and walked down the dirt path, passing the area of the grass where they exchanged talks with their angelic, younger siblings.

"I sure hope Tails is also okay."

The red man looked at Sonic, his emerald eyes planted at the ground as they were strolling. "I'm positive he's fine. Don't forget, the Brotherhood Bracelet he gave you is a reminder that he came to see you. You should know that he's alright. Same with Luigi." Mario looked up at the sky. It started to get less dim with the sun setting down. "I do understand that it's tough to move on. I still haven't because it's a struggle. Eventually, we'll get through it. Try not to think about it that much, and persevere. It doesn't hurt to think about our brothers. But in the end, just know that they're happy because we're alive and well. As long as we're living, we can be certain that they're with us."

Sonic took in his speech very deeply. He glimpsed at the wrist accessory, giving him a flashback of when the four of them had an emotional get-together. In his mind, Tails was there, smiling with a large grin. In turn, the hedgehog smirked.

"You're right, Mario. I'll do my best to move on. I'm not ready yet, but with you, I don't feel alone. Thanks."

Mario blinked before he gave him a smile of his own. "You're welcome, Sonic."

 ** _END OF CHAPTER_**

* * *

 _From what we know, there are two discovered Chaos Emeralds: one found by Silver, and another by Professor E. Gadd. Where are the other five? Can Mario and Sonic find them to help the latter return to Mobius? And how are Knuckles and Silver planning to warp to Mario's world?_

 _Thank you for being patient with this chapter._ _It was kind of rushed, but I wanted to return to this story after missing out for nearly two months._ _Be sure to leave a review, follow/favorite, and I'll see you in Ch. 16 where things kick back at Bowser's lair. This is TGN, signing off._

* * *

 ** _Post-Chapter Notes:_**

 ** _(1):_** _This was the general introduction between Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles, as well as the plot for Sonic the Hedgehog 3._

 ** _(2):_** _I understand that Silver is from the future to protect his time by preventing catastrophes from happening in the present time. But I still don't understand the nature between the timelines of the Sonic universe. (In the A/N for Ch. 8, I did mention I do not know much about Sonic compared to Mario, and that's my only excuse.) Just ignore any time discrepancies that could revolve around this._

 ** _(3):_** _This is quoting off from the Sonic Wiki page that explains the origins, background, and traits of the Chaos Emeralds._


	17. Ch 16: The Next Step

_A/N: __Happy New Year, everyone! Here's to 2018! Hopefully I can stick to the monthly schedule for this fanfic._

* * *

 _Disclaimer:_ _The story plot is the only thing I own. Sonic and Mario are owned by Sega and Nintendo._

* * *

 **Chapter 16:** The Next Step

 _Location: Bowser's Castle_

The growing hours in Dark Land passed by with ease. But to three prisoners, it felt like they were stuck for an eternity. In Amy's case, it was gruesome.

"How long has it been, Miss Amy?" Cream innocently asked.

The pink hedgehog sighed. "I wish I could tell you, Cream. But I don't have a watch or my communicator on me. And it's tough to tell what time of day it is since this place is filled with dark clouds outside." A flash of lightning struck near the castle, followed by a loud case of thunder. "And then there's that constant lightning that goes off every once in a while."

"Amy, I'm scared."

"Chao," Cheese whimpered.

"I understand, but I can't do anything to stop it." The way she was comforting her rabbit friend reminded her of those times when Sonic had to calm Tails down whenever he got frightened by thunderstorms, one of his biggest fears.

Soon, the captives jumped from the sound of the dungeon doors opening. The blue-robed mage was levitating a tray of food with his wand. He strolled over to the back cell.

"Eat up," he ordered, sending it through the bars with his magic. The Magikoopa gave them a plate of bread, some meat, and three small cups of water.

Cream picked up a slice of bread. Once she took a bite, she was disgusted. It was dry and tasteless, but at least it wasn't moldy. Amy stared at the meat, her stomach churning. It didn't look appetizing compared to the drumsticks Bowser typically consumes. **_(1)_** The slab of food felt like it was sitting under the sun for several days just to decompose. And there was hardly any to split between the three of them to make them sated. The only good thing was the water. It was purified, and they all needed a drink.

"You're going to offer us this?" Amy narrowed her eyes.

"It's either that, or you get nothing at all and starve for the rest of the day."

Amy huffed and took a sip out of her cup.

"Why are you treating us like this?"

"Chao?" Cheese responded.

"I'm just following Master Bowser's orders while his partner takes care of the other business inside the castle."

"You mean about their plans to defeat Sonic and whoever that turtle's enemy is?"

"Precisely. And also, we're busy searching for these jewels that apparently will make the duo even stronger than before."

Amy's eyes went as wide as dinner plates. She nearly spilled the rest of her water. "The Chaos Emeralds?!"

"Yes, those. Dr. Eggman did briefly mention that to me when I came across his ray gun this morning." Cream shivered when the magician mentioned his death ray. Amy was unfazed, but deep inside she was nervous. "In the meantime, we haven't made any progress. But I suspect that these Emeralds can be found in our world. If so, we can use all of them to our advantage. We can officially end the lives of our enemy and that hedgehog friend of yours."

"I told you before, his name is Sonic," Amy scoffed.

"And I couldn't care less about his name." He discerned how red-faced she was. "Anyways, I'll be back to retrieve your tray once you're done. Expect the same meal every day until we figure out what to do with you."

"What to do with us?" Cream repeated fearfully. "You don't mean you're going to kill us like Eggman did to Tails?"

"I don't know who this 'Tails' person is, nor do I even know about the prior actions the doctor has done. Regardless, I am unaware on what Master Bowser wants to do with you three."

"And I can easily presume letting us out isn't an option?"

"Correct, Pinky."

Amy sputtered in offense to the name she was given.

"Don't give me that look. Just be grateful I brought you dinner."

"This isn't what I call 'dinner'. This is simply jail food."

"Then be grateful that I _actually_ gave you something to eat. I may be working for Bowser, but I'm not as malicious as the Koopa King."

"I highly doubt that."

"Whatever, missy. Have a good night's sleep."

Once more, Amy scoffed, her pink bangs moved from her breath. She, Cream, and Cheese went back into a state of dimness when Kamek left and the Koopatrols guarding the dungeon shut the doors.

"Sometimes I despise that magic turtle."

"Amy?"

"Yeah, Cream?"

"What are we going to do?"

The hedgehog kept silent before she sighed with hope draining out of her voice. "We have to wait. Wait until Sonic rescues us. I have a strong feeling he's trying to find us. I can only hope that he'll be here sooner rather than later."

Amy laid her head against the cobblestone wall. She hugged the rabbit tightly to ease her worries. The Chao laid in Cream's lap. All three rested in the darkness, their stomachs growling from the lack of food they ate.

* * *

Elsewhere in Bowser's fortress, the Koopa King entered the Hangar to see Eggman and his army back at work. Hammer Bros. banged their weapons to add wooden planks on the airships. Magikoopas utilized their magic to construct some more robotic artillery. Robotnik, however, left all that to that Koopa Klan. He had another scheme up his red sleeves. Although he desired the need to recollect the seven Chaos Emeralds, he was focused on his latest creations.

"I see my minions have done some exceptional work here," Bowser seemed impressed, which was something rare under his nature.

"Ah, Bowser. Glad you stopped by. Has your apprentice or those small tykes found any of the Emeralds?"

The king shook his head. "Kamek reported to me earlier that the Koopalings have not uncovered one at all. They're still flying throughout the Mushroom Kingdom in search of them. Trust me, I'm already getting impatient even though it's been several hours since they left the castle."

"I see," Eggman grunted. "But I won't be too concerned about that just yet. Instead, I got something to show you."

"Really? Enlighten me then."

"Follow me this way."

The two enemies passed by some Koopa Troopas and Goombas who were carrying supplies. Along the way, Eggman opened a door to reveal a second area where he privately drew out his blueprints. It was adjacent to his guest room, which made it convenient for him to get from one place to the other with little walking distance. Inside, Robotnik led Bowser past a table covered with schematics and to a large, beige tarp that was covering a short structure.

"So what do you have to show me today?"

"First of all, have I ever told you before that I built a metal doppelganger of Sonic to try and beat him?"

"No. You've never told me that before."

"Well, now I did. And you'll get to see the real deal. Since I couldn't figure out a way to bring my original model from my world to here, I built an upgraded version! Introducing, Metal Sonic 2.0!"

Eggman jerked the tarp away to reveal the robot. It was an exact replica of the Blue Blur (and the original Metal Sonic, of course). Metal 2.0 possessed the same traits and abilities as the first one, only he's more enhanced with greater speed and increased power.

"Hmm… Not bad at all. So what does your henchman typically do when facing that hedgehog?"

"At one point, I had him kidnap that pink hedgehog and forced Sonic to race against him." **_(2)_** Bowser gave him a confused look. "You know, to add a twist in the matchup to see who's faster. But on occasion, I do authorize him to physically attack him during any high-speed chases. When going to desperate measures, he'll be quicker than him! He'll never catch him, not even when he shifts into Maximum Overdrive! Hyah!" he performed a karate chop. **_(3)_**

"What?"

"Err… Actually, it's called a V. Maximum Overdrive Attack. He'll only quadruple his top speed for a short time while trying to blast right into Sonic. Maybe I should've gotten the turbo to further augment his speed."

"Any other traits beside speed and trying to kill your enemy?"

Eggman tweaked his mustache. "Eh, not really. But I definitely have more ideas in plan. Only it's somewhat irrelevant to Metal Sonic."

"Oh yeah? How so?"

"It's a secret. But, let's just say that I'll need to spend the next month or so creating some more robots."

"Hmph… I am a patient Koopa, but I'm not _that_ patient. **_(4)_** However, I do plan out my attacks to kidnap Peach every month or two after Mario steals her. And although I only waited two weeks after Green 'Stache sacrificed himself, I'll be on the low. But my troops will keep a good eye on them as the Koopalings search for the Emeralds and as you're busy with your technology."

"Sounds decent enough if you don't mind me crashing here for the next several weeks."

"If by all means we destroy Mario and that hedgehog, I don't care at all."

"Perfect. Anyways, that's all I have to show you for today. I'll get right back to work. After that, I gotta get some more grub."

"Hmm… It is almost dinner time. I'm gonna tell Kamek to serve up some drumsticks."

"Ooh, now that sounds like my kind of food! I'd like some spicy ones!"

"Then I would recommend either Spicy or TNT."

"Hmm… I never tried or heard of anything like a TNT drumstick. Either way, I'll have both!"

"Alright, I'll remember that."

Bowser left Eggman's chambers to leave him alone. The latter cackled to himself.

"Heh heh… I'll be eager to witness your demise, Sonic! With the help of my associate, and my extra 'surprises', it'll be too easy to make you surrender under my command! HAHAHAHA! HA- Hack! Ah- Pbth! Ooh… Ugh, crud. I swallowed my mint."

* * *

 _Location: Toad Town_

"Hello?"

"Hi, Yoshi. Can I ask you something?"

"Sure, what is it?"

"Have you seen a pink hedgehog named Amy? She wears a red dress and boots, and wields a giant hammer," Peach repeated the physical description of Amy based off how Sonic described her.

"We're also in search of a young bunny with a vermilion skirt named Cream and a light blue creature who goes by the name of Cheese," Toadsworth added through the speaker.

"A hedgehog? I've never seen anyone like that before. Why do you ask?"

Peach explained the situation of what happened yesterday. Yoshi took in the story, understanding her words.

"I see. But as of what I know, I have no clue who they are. Nor do I know who this Sonic guy is. I'm sorry, Princess Peach."

"That's okay, Yoshi," the princess sighed.

"I can ask everyone on the island if they have seen Sonic's friends. It's the least I can do."

"We would appreciate that."

"Sounds good. I'll see you later."

"Bye, Yoshi." She hung up the phone, feeling disappointed.

She and Toadsworth spent hours asking the entire population of Toad Town. With no luck, they made calls to their friends and acquaintances from other places they've been to. Other than Yoshi, they also asked Prince Peasley of the Beanbean Kingdom, the Piantas and Nokis from Isle Delfino, Prince Dreambert of Pi'illo Island, and more. But every time, it was the same result; they didn't know who Sonic's friends were or what they look like, nor have they seen them.

"It's okay, Princess," soothed Toadsworth. "Maybe Masters Mario and Sonic have better luck than us."

"I can only hope so. I'm going to take another walk."

"Would you like me to accompany you?"

"No thanks, Toadsworth. I just want to be by myself for a little bit."

The elderly Toad was somewhat reluctant with her decision, but agreed with it nonetheless. "Alright, my dear. Please be careful."

"I will. Don't worry." Peach exited the castle and stared at the sunset. She blinked twice before heading out to the center square. Upon reaching there, she saw Mario and Sonic returning to the town. She called out to them. "Mario! Sonic!"

The two noticed and walked up to her.

"Hello, Peach," said Mario.

"Did you get any leads on Amy, Cream, or Cheese?" Sonic asked.

"Unfortunately, no. I spoke to everyone we knew. But they haven't see them, and they don't know where they could be." Sonic slightly sulked when he heard that. "How about you? Did Professor E. Gadd help out?"

"We spoke to him about the dilemma with his missing friends and figuring out how they can return home. He did say he was going to start building a portal."

Peach nodded her head. "Anything else?"

"He hasn't seen them either. But what we do know is that he has a Chaos Emerald."

"Chaos Emerald? Didn't you briefly mention something like that before?"

Sonic moved his head down and shut his eyes with ire. He clenched a fist, remembering the threat Eggman pulled off before being sucked in the black hole.

Peach suddenly realized what he said back at the bedroom. "Oh, wait… I'm sorry."

"It's fine. But as I was saying, the professor has found one of the seven Emeralds, meaning that the others are separated again since its last usage. It's possible that the other six made it to this world, too. Where are they, is the question."

"E. Gadd also suggested that we might be able to find his friends if we ask Merluvlee."

"Oh, why didn't I think of that? She could be able to figure out where they might be."

"By the way, who is Merluvlee?"

"She's a type of Shaman, or a fortune teller. As I said earlier, in my past adventures, she helped me predict my next path on where I need to go, or she can predict locations of hidden badges, Star Pieces, Shine Sprites, and other collectibles that help make me and my partners stronger in battle. In general, whenever I have no idea on what to do, she's one of the best resources to ask, next to Merlon who's also a Shaman."

"So where exactly is she?"

"She's actually close from here," Peach explained. "She lives in a house near Shooting Star Summit up north. I can go with you guys, as I'm positive Mario knows the place very well."

"Sure do."

"Awesome! Let's go!"

* * *

 _Location: Shooting Star Summit_

Also known as Star Hill, this luxurious area featured numerous shooting stars falling from the sky and landing near the large mountain. It was a wonderful sight to Sonic's eyes. They glistened brightly as the sky turned darker. With Mario and Peach walking beside him on his right, the trio walked up to Merluvlee's house. The plumber knocked on the door and waited for a response.

"Come on in!" a female voice sang.

They entered inside to see her standing on the opposite side of a table with a crystal ball placed in the center. She had long yellow hair locks with swirls on the end, a purple hat with a yellow star, glasses with shades of pink and cyan, two green earrings in the shape of Star Points, a blue dress, black heels, and a white veil that concealed most of her face. **_(5)_** As soon as she saw Mario and Peach, she appeared delighted.

"Oh, joy! If it isn't Mario and Princess Peach!" She soon noticed the hedgehog. "And I see you two have brought a guest along with you! If you would please, may I get to know you?"

"Hi, Merluvlee. This is our friend, Sonic the Hedgehog," Peach introduced. "He comes from a place far from here called Mobius. And we're here to help him."

"Pleased to meet you, Sonic. As you probably could tell, I am Merluvlee, a stunning fortune teller."

"Nice to meet you, too."

"I use the twinkling of the stars to help people find the path to happiness… If you pay just a few coins, I will tell you the path you need to follow next… However, I am willing to find your fortune for free."

"Really? That's cool."

"Are you sure you don't want anything out of this? I can pay for it like I usually do. Or at least let me offer a tip."

"No need, Mario. Besides, I want to return a nice gesture to you kind folk. Especially after… Um, well…"

Mario clearly didn't need her to finish that sentence. But he appreciated the generosity.

"Now, what can I do for you?"

"We're looking for his friends," Mario explained. "You see, he warped into our world from an accident and got separated. We tried to search for them when we went Boo Woods and meet with Professor E. Gadd. He then suggested to ask you for assistance."

"Mm-hmm, I see. Well, I'll be more than happy to help out!"

"Great!" Sonic replied.

"If you would, please describe your friends to me. Afterwards, I'll use my crystal ball to find the answer you seek."

Sonic nodded and told the Shaman about Amy, Cream, and Cheese. Merluvlee took down mental notes.

"Alright then! I shall now concentrate deeply. I need complete silence as I focus heavily. I will gaze… into the FUTURE!"

Mario, Sonic, and Peach stood quietly as they watched her begin a chant.

"AHHHHHH! HOCUS POCUS FOCUS! CABRAA DA ABRAAAA! HULLABALLOOOOOOOO! PAAAAAACKA! POOOOOOKA! PEEKABOO! Ahhh… AH HA HAAA!"

"Does she sound a bit crazed to you?" Sonic whispered into Mario's ear.

"I can't say you're wrong, but Peach and I have gotten used to hearing weird shit like this. But in all due respect, it's usually worth the wait."

"Oh, stars that fill the vast night sky… See these souls who have lost the way… SHOW ME!"

Then, magical sparkles and stars lightened up the room and merged into the crystal. The ball shined brightly for a second, giving Merluvlee a visual hint in her mind.

"I see your destined path… Within a land of darkness and lava, I see the individuals that you speak of. A pink hedgehog, a rabbit with cream and orange fur, a light blue friend of the rabbit… They are all alone in a barred dungeon with fire barely dimming the room. Lightning occasionally strikes the area, and the smell of pure magma is easily distinct."

Peach's eyes gaped wide open as she knew the place Merluvlee depicted. Mario also understood, his eyebrows lowered into an aggravated state. Sonic had a feeling where this was going based on their facial expressions.

"For this is no laughing matter, but my fortune-telling is done… Did you get it all? That is all I can see…"

"Oh, we got it alright." He turned to the hedgehog, his face still upset. "Your friends are held in Bowser's Castle."

Realization hit him like a tidal wave crashing down on him. "You can't be serious."

Mario shook his head. "Merluvlee always discovers the truth. We now know where to go next."

"If you get lost again, return to me and I shall see the way."

"Thank you, Merluvlee," Peach curtsied.

"I'm still giving you a tip."

The fortune teller refused to accept it. "Please, Mario. Save the hedgehog's friends. That is how you will repay me."

"Fine. We appreciate your help."

"I bid you farewell and wish you the best of luck."

Upon exiting her house, Mario stepped away from Peach and Sonic. He sat down at the wooden table and gazed at the vast amount of shooting stars descending from above.

"Mario?" Peach approached him.

He didn't respond to her.

Sonic walked over and stood on the side of the table. "What's the matter?"

"If he lays a finger on them…"

"Mario, I should be the one who's more concerned. Although I don't show it, I can tell you right now that I _am_ worried about them being in your enemy's property. You still haven't met them yet."

"I get it, Sonic. But I swear, if he ever tries to hurt them, he's going to pay."

Peach rested her hand on his shoulder to ease his growing temper. "Mario, I'm sure you and Sonic will be able to save Amy and the others. Focus on that rather than the what-ifs."

He shut his eyes before breathing in deeply and getting up. "Then let's not waste any time. Let's go."

Sonic clenched a fist and signified that he was ready. For the first time, he was planning on directly facing Bowser. What he won't be expecting was the one he has known for the majority of his life. And he won't realize it until he reaches the Koopa Kingdom.

 ** _END OF CHAPTER_**

* * *

 _Can Mario and Sonic save Amy, Cream, and Cheese? What does Eggman have in store for his future attack? Will I even remain consistent with my uploads?_

 _When New Brotherhood returns, the heroes will set off for Bowser's lair. This is TGN, wishing you a Happy New Year._

* * *

 ** _Post-Chapter Notes:_**

 ** _(1):_** _In Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story, one of Bowser's consumable items were drumsticks, which restore his health. They come in either Hot, Fiery, or TNT in the American version._

 ** _(2):_** _This was part of Metal Sonic's role in Sonic the Hedgehog CD, where he was sent back in time to change the future to Eggman's benefit. (Keep in mind, even though I set up this 2.0 version, he'll still be referred to as Metal Sonic, just like the original.)_

 ** _(3):_** _I couldn't help myself but to quote from SpongeBob SquarePants. If you were curious, I was referencing a moment in the episode 'Krusty Krab Training Video'._

 ** _(4):_** _This was a direct quote from Bowser in Super Paper Mario. In context, he said this when he wouldn't plan on waiting for Princess Peach to wake up after a hundred years, all from eating a forbidden apple._

 ** _(5):_** _I chose to use Merluvlee's appearance from SPM while also taking direct quotes from her dialogue._


	18. Ch 17: Breaking into the Fortress

_A/N:_ _Four points to address. One, I've rewritten the story summary, but the concept and the plot remain the same._

 _Two, I edited in a new cover art. However, I am NOT the one who drew this image._

 _Three, since I can't message guest reviewers, I'm writing this to explain something. Nothing really noteworthy, so just skip all this if it doesn't concern you in the slightest._

 _ShinyToast, or Nai, from what you said in your review, you misread what I wrote in Ch. 16. In that paragraph of the dungeon scene, it said ' **they all** needed a drink', not 'all they...' (otherwise you would've been correct). Additionally, I planned that Peach would not be joining Mario and Sonic on the rescue mission. But after brainstorming, I took in your wish. As always, thank you for your feedback._

 _And four, it's been over a year since I first published the prologue of NB. I completely forgot until my friend, Steel Fairy, mentioned that to me. So thanks to Steel for reminding me, as well as the celebratory comment! I also appreciate Pikminfan and Mitha Sentro for their reviews, too!_

 _Now that I'm done rambling, let's begin the next chapter._

* * *

 _Disclaimer: __Mario and Sonic are not owned by me. I only take credit for the plot._

* * *

 **Chapter 17:** Breaking into the Fortress

 _Location: Peach's Castle_

The sun slowly began to disappear along the Mushroom Kingdom's horizon. Toadsworth spent the last hour walking back and forth in the castle lobby. Toad and Toadette, sitting on the bottom steps of the staircase, simply watched him. It didn't take them two seconds to know how much he was concerned. And it wasn't difficult to know the reason for his anxiety.

Toadette got up to comfort him. "Toadsworth, why don't you take a seat and have a cup of Mushroom Tea?"

"I'm sure the princess will return soon rather than later," Toad reassured.

"I knew I shouldn't have left her alone."

"Don't say that, Toadsworth. The princess can handle things herself. If at all, I'm sure Mario is out looking for her."

Then, the castle doors opened. When Toadsworth saw Peach's face, he felt relieved. "Princess! Thank heavens you're back!"

"Sorry for being out so long, Toadsworth. Nothing bad has happened, I promise."

"Mario! Sonic!" Toadette greeted. "How goes your search? Any luck?"

"Yeah. Sonic's friends are in Bowser's Castle."

The mushroom people were surprised at Mario's revelation. "What?!"

"After going to E. Gadd's lab, he suggested we talk to Merluvlee at Shooting Star Summit while he was busy planning out an invention to help send Sonic home. When we returned to Toad Town, we met up with Peach and told her about this. So the three of us went to the fortune teller in hopes of finding Amy, Cream, and Cheese."

"That was when Merluvlee did find them. The problem is, as you already know, they're trapped in Bowser's Castle. So Mario, Peach, and I are heading there. We'll get them out and return back here," Sonic said with determination.

The old Toad shook his head rapidly, thinking he heard the hedgehog correctly. "W-W-What?! You're going to that Koopa's castle, Princess?! Why would you think of such a thing?!"

"Toadsworth, I basically know the place from top to bottom, as weird as it sounds. But I feel much safer whenever I travel with Mario. And Sonic is just as reliable, too. I'll do my best to stay away from danger. If everything goes accordingly, we can rescue Sonic's friends quickly with little to no problem."

"But Princess, what if your strategy backfires? What if Bowser becomes more callous than he was when he attacked the kingdom yesterday? What if he captures you again for real?"

"Then I can count on Mario and Sonic to save me."

"But what would happen if…"

"Toadsworth," Mario interrupted. He had a serious look on his face. "If Bowser takes Peach away again, I'll save her like I've done many times before. What I won't do is fail. I'll stand by my word to make sure she's safe, even if it costs me everything."

Peach felt thankful for her hero's words, but she was a bit hesitant with that last sentence. Toadsworth, Toadette, and Toad didn't say anything as they took in his speech deeply.

Sonic stared at his friend, catching his drift. His intentions sounded like he was willing to risk his life to help save his friends, and the princess if necessary. In a way, it could lead to a path for him to truly reunite with his younger bro. But in Sonic's eyes, he didn't want that to happen. He thought Mario deserved to live life joyfully until the day he dies. Not from an accident, not from a sacrifice, but from happiness. Yeah, yeah, it's cheesy, but Sonic always had a belief that good things happen to good people. Mario was definitely one of them.

After an awkward minute of silence, the brown Toad coughed before clearing his throat. "Okay, Your Highness. Master Mario, I request you to take care of the princess at all costs while saving Master Sonic's friends."

"I'll make sure she's safe in my hands," he promised.

"And Master Sonic, I do hope your friends will be out of Bowser's keep without a lot of mayhem."

Sonic gave a thumbs-up and winked. "I will!"

The heroes gave a few more partings before leaving the castle. As the day shifted into the evening hours, the three made their way to Dark Land.

* * *

 _Location: Chucklehuck Woods **(1)**_

Sharing a border with the Mushroom Kingdom was the Beanbean Kingdom. And in the southwestern region was a forest known as the Chucklehuck Woods. This location was known for growing the Chuckola Fruit, a special ingredient used to brew one of the most well-known beverages: Chuckola Cola. There were various types and colors of the fruit with unique flavors and facial expressions, too. Mario and Luigi once ventured through this forest in search of the Chuckola Reserve to heal the kingdom's ruler, Queen Bean, from a Belly Blech worm she ate from their former adversary, Cackletta.

Above these woods, an airship traveled over the Chuckola Trees. The winds from the large propellers caused the leaves to rustle and sway. The front of the ship displayed a character's green face with light blue, spiky hair. The deck consisted of a shell dome of that same color with a mast centered above it.

"Hmm…" the Koopaling mumbled to himself. "I wonder what a Chaos Emerald even looks like. All I remember from that fat doctor was that it's powerful on its own. But with all seven together, it would give them unlimited power, or something like that."

"Hey, Larry," a Hammer Bro walked up to him. "Our ground troops couldn't find any trace of the emerald up north. But our fleet of Paratroopas may have found something in the deeper part of the woods, near the Winkle Colosseum."

"Winkle Colosseum, huh? Interesting. Then let's head down south."

This region was home to the Winkles, a bunch of snail creatures who hosted minigame matches in the stadium. A few of them were moseying outside, across the tan patches of grass. But when they caught sight of Larry's airship, they panicked and slithered for shelter. When Larry and the underlings who were on board got off, a certain Paratroopa flew over to them. He wore a red shell, a red bucket on his head, and green boots.

"Corporal Paraplonk, any sight on the so-called Chaos Emerald?"

"We thought we saw something shining in the stadium," the Paratroopa responded. "I ordered the Paratroopa squad and my colleagues, Private Goomp and Sergeant Guy, to infiltrate inside while I waited for your arrival." ** _(2)_**

"Alright. Well let's go inside and take a look."

Larry and Paraplonk entered the Colosseum where they saw a bunch of Winkles cowering against the walls or in the corners as the flying turtles searched around.

"Anything yet, so far?" the corporal called to them.

"Nope, nothing," one replied.

"I don't see anything here," a green-shelled Paratroopa popped his head out from a bench.

Another with a blue shell flew down to deliver his report. "Doesn't seem to be hidden from up high."

"Ugh… Are you sure you saw it in here?" Larry groaned.

"We're not 100% sure. The stadium was shining from some strange light. We assumed it was coming from the emerald. That is, if it's even here."

The back doors that led to the minigame arena swung open as the other members of the Elite Trio came running to them.

"Corporal Paraplonk! We got good news!" Private Goomp jumped.

"What is it?"

"We found it! We found the extraordinary item that you were searching for!" Sergeant Guy flailed his nubby arms.

"You did?" Larry raised an eyebrow.

"Uh huh! Show 'em, Sergeant!"

The lime green Shy Guy dug in his pocket to pull out a shining artifact. It was a Chaos Emerald, glistening in its turquoise appearance.

"Golly," the Koopaling admired its glow. "Never seen such a beauty like this before."

"That's what we thought when we took it from those snails," said Sergeant Guy.

"Now that we got one in our hands, we might as well take this back to home base."

"Do you think the boss will promote us to higher rank?" Goomp had his high hopes.

"I don't know," Paraplonk thought. "You know what happened the last few times we 'helped' him. I mean, we did lock him in a safe and get him injured by the Mario Bros."

"Nowadays, it's just Mario because of… you-know-what," Sergeant Guy shuddered, causing the others, including Larry, to join in on the fateful memory.

"I'm glad I wasn't a part of that," the Private mumbled.

"Come on, guys. We're getting off-topic here. Let's head back to the castle," Larry told them.

The trio agreed as everyone returned to the airship, leaving the frightened Winkles alone.

* * *

 _Location: Bowser's Castle_

Sonic, Mario, and Peach stood atop one of the hills that showed a view of the massive stronghold, standing over a rocky island. A lava moat surrounded the entire castle.

"There it is. Bowser's Castle," Peach whispered.

"One of the many iterations he's built over the past several years," Mario mentioned.

 _"Amy, Cream… I'm coming for you,"_ Sonic thought to himself.

They ran down the path until they reached the castle entrance. Along the way, they came across some mighty Koopatrols. Mario pulled out his trusty hammer to slam their spiked helmets. Sonic pulled off his skills by spin dashing into their armor, negating their spikes with his own. Peach brought her umbrella to whack some out of her way. This time, she wasn't getting herself captured.

Mario kept a good eye on his companions. So far, he was impressed by Peach taking care of herself. But he was also admired by Sonic's resolve and nature of getting right into the action. Zooming at the baddies, his face switched between angry scowls to cocky smirks, resulting in a feeling of victory whenever he wiped out any enemies that stood in his way. He could tell how capable he truly was with his speed.

However, a memory interfered, plaguing his initial thoughts.

…

 ** _"Three. Two. One."_**

 _"Please… don't forget about me." Mario remained still and hurt as he waited for the impending blow. He wasn't ready for death. But it was too late to avoid it._

 ** _"Zero."_**

 _The cannon sent out a large, red blast towards the injured man._

…

Because he was distracted, he almost didn't see the Koopatrol running at him from behind.

"Mario! Behind you!" Peach called.

He blinked once before turning around and quickly slamming his weapon on the enemy. With the shelled harrier on the ground, Mario pounced on him with his boots to defeat him.

"Phew. Thanks, Peach," he wiped the sweat off his face.

"You're welcome, Mario. But I was wondering why you were just standing there."

"Sorry. It's nothing," he gave a sad smile.

…

 _He waited for the impending, hurtful impact. It was the only thing on his mind as he ignored everything that surrounded him._

 _But he never received it._

 _What he felt instead, was a forceful push._

 _"LUIGI!" the princess cried._

 _She couldn't see the green man's face when he rushed away from her side. Despite the situation he put himself into, he teared up. Teared up, with a small smile._

 _It remained there until he pushed Mario, taking the laser for himself. **(3)**_

…

"Mario?"

The man turned around to face the hedgehog, who looked somewhat apprehensive. "Yes, Sonic?"

"Is something bothering you?"

He tried to deny the question. "No, not really."

…

 _Mario found his younger brother, lying on the ground. His head was resting in Peach's lap as he was breathing heavily; his eyes were barely open as his chest was moving up and down rapidly._

 _His chest. That's what caused Mario to be in shock. There was a hole through Luigi's clothing, near his somewhat beating heart. Crimson blood spilled from the region as it flowed down to the cold dungeon floor. His eyes widened at the image. His mouth was open, but he couldn't find the words to react._

 _"L-Luigi…"_

…

"You're thinking about him, are you?"

Mario blinked, wondering if he was a psychic. Then he turned his face away from him. He scrunched his face, trying to block out the horrible retention.

…

 _"D-d-don't let my death fall… in v-vain. Just know… that… I've always respected you. Despite all the times… we argued… and faced each other… I will always love you… mio fratello…"_

…

Mario used his thumb to scratch the side of his eye, concealing the fact that he was wiping away a lone tear that almost fell down.

 _"Scusate,"_ he excused himself. **_(4)_** "I am."

The hedgehog went up to console him. "You told me earlier that it's tough to move on. But with time, I'll get over my grief. I know you feel the same way. And to that, you shouldn't feel bad to mourn. But right now, it'll distract you in the long run, which could make it harder to let go. Luigi will always be proud of you. But in order for him to think that, you have to stay strong. I'll be there for you, man. Every step of the way."

Mario breathed in deeply to calm down. "I understand. Thank you, Sonic."

He smiled. "You're welcome."

Peach couldn't help but grin, too. She admired how the heroes are getting along so well while giving each other moral support. Unfortunately, this wasn't the time to stand forever.

"Gentlemen," she called. "Shall we get going?"

Mario scratched his hair and fixed his hat before responding. "You're right, Peach. Come on, Sonic. And thanks again."

"You don't have to thank me twice," he chuckled.

The three entered the large double doors. They were greeted by the massive architecture, red carpets, and the multitude of Bowser statues and sculptures found throughout the connecting hallways.

"Sheesh, talk about no fashion sense in the interior. Does this dude always care about himself?"

"He does like his face _everywhere_ ," Mario rolled his eyes.

"Merluvlee said she envisioned Amy, Cream, and Cheese in the dungeon. If I remember right, it's downstairs, two floors directly below Bowser's throne room," Peach recalled.

"Since you two pretty much know the place, lead the way."

Mario gripped his hammer. "Stay alert. You never know when Bowser's troops will come out of nowhere."

They quietly sauntered down the first corridor. A few minutes elapsed with no sign of any enemies. When they were about to turn the corner, Mario stopped Peach and Sonic when he caught sight of something.

"What is it, Mario?"

He slowly turned to them. He held a finger over his mouth, signaling to not make a sound. Taking note, they all peeked behind the wall. Walking down the hall with their shells facing them were two of the Koopalings.

"I'm so beat. I need to wash my shell," the female turtle grumbled.

"Same. I could go for a long, steamy bath," Roy stretched his arms.

"Since when do you take baths?"

"Hey, a Koopa's got to have good hygiene, right?"

"Well, duh. I taught you and the other guys that since I seem to be the only one in this castle who knows how to stay clean."

"I mean, you're the only girl here."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing." Wendy gave him a mean glare, not digging his answer. Roy decided to switch topics. "So how was yer search for dem Emeralds?"

Sonic's eyes bulged wide. Mario and Peach listened carefully.

"Ugh, don't patronize me," Wendy scoffed.

"How was that patronizing?"

"I'm not in the mood to talk about that, alright?"

"Hey, you ain't the only one who hasn't found one. Iggy, Morton, Lemmy, and Ludwig were all unsuccessful. Larry's probably in the same boat."

"And I suspect Jr. is out hunting for cookies or something."

"No. But he did eat the last batch when he came home."

"Pfft. Dirty runt."

When the Koopalings were out of sight, the heroes came out from the corner.

"At least they didn't see or hear us," Peach murmured.

"Yes. And somehow, they know about the Chaos Emeralds, too," said Mario.

"But how?"

Sonic clenched his fist, showing his teeth. "Eggman…"

"What?"

He turned to Mario and Peach. "This is bad. Seriously bad."

"What do you mean, Sonic?" the princess asked.

"You know how I said Amy, Cream, and Cheese went into the black hole, as well as Eggman?" They nodded. "And there was a good chance that _all_ of them transported to your world?"

Mario now realized his point. "Oh, no."

"Yeah, exactly."

"You think… Dr. Eggman has met with Bowser?" Peach pondered.

"If those turtle brats know about the Emeralds, they must have heard it from him. That means he's here, too. And worse, I have a bad feeling he teamed up with him."

"If the Koopalings are aware of the Emeralds, Bowser must be, too." Mario cursed in Italian to himself.

"We better keep going," Peach urged. Mario and Sonic didn't hesitate as they ran into the next section.

* * *

The trio had a few run-ins with some more of Bowser's underlings, but they dealt the damage without a lot of issues. They roamed the long hallways until they reached a spot that was definitely familiar to Mario. It was the room where he and Luigi fought some of the Koopa King's army prior to the tragedy. This room sent chills and guilt riding up the plumber's spine, remembering how he abandoned Luigi as he climbed up the tower to reach the throne room. It slowly led up to his sibling's noble sacrifice that allowed him to stay alive.

Shaking the bad memories behind, he gazed over at two separate staircases. One led to the top floor where Bowser usually lurks. The other one led to the lower level of the castle. They were getting closer to the underground prison.

"They have to be there. We still can't keep our guards down though," Mario told the others.

"I'm right behind you, Mario," Peach whispered.

Sonic didn't say anything. He focused on seeing his friends again. He followed the plumber and the princess downstairs. However, none of them were aware of the figures who witnessed them from behind a wall.

"Should we tell Dad about this?" the rainbow-haired Koopaling wondered.

Iggy looked down at Lemmy. "We probably should. He won't be too happy about him being here."

"About who?"

The Koopalings rotated to see the blue Magikoopa walking towards them.

"Kamek. Um, you see…" Lemmy hesitated.

"What?"

"We have some infiltrators in the castle."

The magician raised an eyebrow. "As in?"

"Mario," Iggy answered. "The pink princess, too."

Kamek stood there without saying a word.

"And there was some blue, spiky creature with them. He looks unfamiliar though," the small Koopa added.

"Was he a hedgehog?"

Iggy and Lemmy looked at each other. The latter was unsure while the former spoke up. "Now that you said that, he _did_ look like a hedgehog."

"Interesting…" he mumbled in a monotone voice.

It took about ten seconds until Lemmy realized it. "Wait a second, isn't that the Sonic guy the fat man talked about?"

Kamek shook his head. "Took you long enough." He started to head in the direction he came from.

"Where are you going?" Iggy called.

"I suspect the Master should know about this. You know how reckless he can be when he's not up to date with that meddling plumber."

"He's reckless all the time, so what's the point?" Lemmy said to Iggy. The green-shelled Koopa could only shrug.

Back to the heroes, Mario, Peach, and Sonic made it to the bottom of the steps, entering another large room with several paths leading to different entryways. What stood out the most was the humongous set of doors and a pair of Koopatrols standing guard. However, the minions seemed to be off task that they didn't notice them.

The one on the left sighed, looking up at the ceiling. "Ken, I know this our task to guard those animals. But does the boss even think they can find a way to escape?"

"You never know what could happen, Tom," said the other Koopatrol. "You know how Bowser doesn't like it when we don't do our job."

"True. But don't you think it's stupid to lounge here doing nothing?"

"Stupid, I can agree to that. But it's more boring to me."

As they were busy talking, Sonic took an initiative and sped right at them. Mario stared while Peach extended an arm to try to stop him. But he was too fast for them.

"If we have some free time, you down for some Goomba Bowling?" suggested Tom. **_(5)_**

"I highly doubt we have any t-" Ken stopped when he heard footsteps. _Fast_ footsteps. And before he or Tom knew, a blue blur spin dashed into the guards.

"URGH!"

"OW!"

Sonic landed on his feet, dusted his hands, and placed one on his hip as he looked back at Mario and Peach. They remained at the other side, still amazed at his speed.

"What are you waiting for? Come on!"

Mario shook his head and refocused. He and Peach made their way to the hedgehog who hid the unconscious Koopatrols in a corner.

"To this day, I still can't believe you can run that fast and just dive into action like it's no big deal."

The hedgehog shrugged. "It's just in my blood. Sense of adventure, you know."

"I mean, you did take them down, so I can't say anything bad."

"So, this is the dungeon?"

"Mm-hmm." Mario pushed the doors open, revealing nothing but darkness and the dim lights from the torches. "Be careful. If there are more guards in here, we have to keep our eyes open."

Peach held out her umbrella, Mario had his mallet, and Sonic simply stretched his legs. Step by step, they passed several empty cells. There were no Koopatrols, Hammer Bros., Koopas, or anyone from Bowser's troops. It was eerily quiet, until the princess heard something.

"Guys, do you hear that?"

Mario perceived the sound. "I think I hear someone crying."

Sonic's ear twitched and moved forward as he recognized it. _"Is it really?"_ he thought to himself.

The hedgehog jogged ahead to reach the far end of the dungeon. His eyes widened when he saw three figures behind bars. The source of the sound came from there, specifically from Cheese shivering in Cream's lap. The bunny and the hedgehog had their heads against the stone wall, eyes closed.

He gripped the metal poles tightly. "Amy. Cream. Cheese."

Amy stirred her head before slowly opening her eyes. When she saw blue, she stopped for a second. She blinked repeatedly to regain her vision.

"S-S-Sonic?!"

Said hedgehog smirked. "Missed me?"

Amy softly shook Cream's shoulder. "Cream. Cream, wake up!"

"Huh? What's wrong, Miss Amy?" She didn't respond, but she pointed her finger at the person outside of the cell. Cream was more than ecstatic that she woke up Cheese. "Mister Sonic! You're here!"

"Chao Chao!" Cheese shouted cutely. All three ran up to the locked door, relieved to see the hedgehog and his emerald eyes again.

"I finally found you guys. I would've been searching high and low for days if I haven't gotten some help."

"How did you find us?" Amy wondered.

"I met some new friends." At that moment, they walked up to the prison, showing their faces. "Amy, Cream, Cheese, this is Mario and Princess Peach of the Mushroom Kingdom. They're the ones who took care of me when I landed in this world."

Amy and Cream were intrigued by the beauty of the tall, blonde woman in pink. Her gentle, blue eyes reassured them that she was kind and willing to help. The same could be said for the short man in red. About eye level with Sonic, the pudgy, yet athletic, plumber had a strong smile under his black mustache.

"It's very nice to meet you, your Majesty," Cream curtsied.

"Why thank you. You must be Cream."

She looked surprised. "H-How did you know my name?"

"Teehee, Sonic talked about you earlier," Peach smiled.

"Oh. That makes sense," Cream giggled. Cheese had a small laugh, too.

"You must be Amy. It's nice to meet you," he greeted.

"Thanks. It's Mario, right?" She received a nod. "Nice to see you, as well. This isn't the best place to meet someone new, but boy are we glad to get some help. We were so worried about Sonic. At least we know now he's here."

"Same with me. I didn't want lose you guys, too."

"I bet you met with Bowser sometime earlier, did you?" Mario asked the captives.

"We did. And he was very scary-looking," Cream held her fists in front of her body.

"His son sounded like a little brat, and his magic minion was a nuisance," Amy grunted.

"They didn't hurt you, did they?"

"Thankfully, no. Although the little squirt tried to make us slip from this icky, paint-like goop." **_(6)_**

"Oh, dear. That must be from Bowser Jr.'s graffiti brush," Peach reminisced dreadfully.

"As long as you're basically unharmed, that's all I care about."

"Thanks, Sonic."

"Now that we've met each other, let's find a way to get you three out of this prison," considered Mario.

"Oh, really? You thought you could away with this?"

Everyone froze in place when they heard a deep, snarling voice. Mario, however, immediately resorted to anger. He turned around and saw two creeping eyes of red. Sonic and Peach followed his actions. Both went wide-eyed at the scene. Cream and Cheese huddled behind Amy, who also glared at the dark silhouette.

Soon, the figure made his face visible for everyone to see. The plumber never felt angrier in his life, more so than the preceding events that occurred over the past two weeks. With his heart burning in anguish, he muttered the bastardly Koopa's name.

"Bowser…"

 ** _END OF CHAPTER_**

* * *

 _Cliffhanger! Mario, Sonic, and Peach broke into the castle and found Sonic's friends! But before they could help them escape, Bowser was there to interfere. What will happen next?_

 _On another note, Larry and the Elite Trio managed to find a Chaos Emerald. That leaves four left to be discovered, but where can they be?_

 _Next time on New Brotherhood, Silver and Knuckles rally up their friends in an attempt to reach the Mushroom Kingdom. The heroes must confront Bowser without getting captured. Plus, someone makes a bold move that could end another life…_

 _Leave a review to let me know how this went, or if I made any errors, grammar or spelling wise. Hit the follow/favorite button if you want to catch up on updates. Again, I'm targeting a monthly schedule, but it's not guaranteed. And until we meet again, I'll see you in Ch. 18! This is TGN, signing off._

* * *

 ** _Post-Chapter Notes:_**

 ** _(1):_** _Chucklehuck Woods is a location found in the Beanbean Kingdom, initially appearing in Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga and remastered in M&L: SS + Bowser's Minions._

 ** _(2):_** _I liked the characters from the Elite Trio, so I decided to add them into the story. Their group name was first mentioned in M&L: Dream Team, but they debuted in M&L: Bowser's Inside Story._

 ** _(3):_** _This is extra context to what occurred on the day Luigi sacrificed himself. (I did not include this into the flashback from Ch. 1.)_

 ** _(4):_** _'Scusate' is Italian for 'Sorry'._

 ** _(5):_** _'Goomba Bowling' is a minigame from Mario Party 9._

 ** _(6):_** _That's a quote from Super Mario Sunshine when a Toad described the graffiti with those words._


	19. Ch 18: Taking a Bullet Bill

_A/N: __On a random note, I uploaded my first story in the Sonic category titled Revengeful Resistance. No surprise, it's a rewritten work of Sonic Forces. If you want, you can find it on my profile and take a sneak peek of the introduction. (Uploads for that story are currently undefined.)_ _  
_

 _Now back to this fanfic... To ShinyToast, thanks for your feedback again! And it's okay, you weren't bothering me earlier. Just a small misinterpretation and nothing more. But I must thank you for convincing me to include Peach in the rescue mission. I'm glad I listened because it seemed like it was the right choice based off the other reviewers who enjoyed it._

 _Speaking of which, thank you FairyTalePrincess16, Steel Fairy, and Mitha Sentro for your comments, too! I'm glad you all love Peach acting as a heroine rather than a supporting character in that chapter. I appreciate it!_

* * *

 _Disclaimer:_ _Sega owns Sonic, Nintendo owns Mario, and I own the story plot._

* * *

 **Chapter 18:** Taking a Bullet Bill

 _Location: Angel Island_

Knuckles and Silver returned to the floating island with the usual gang who was still in Sonic's dimension. Blaze the Cat arrived from her kingdom. The Chaotix conveniently finished a detective case and decided to lend some extra hands. Rouge was convinced to join when Knuckles mentioned a Chaos Emerald. Shadow... well, he was sort of forced against his will to come. Like Rouge though, it was for the same reason. The Chaos Emeralds were separated again, and he wanted to know where they were.

"So, where's that beautiful Chaos Emerald?" Rouge seductively placed a hand on her hip.

"Silver has it, and no, you're not going to take it from him," Knuckles told her.

"What makes you think I would do that?"

"Because you're a thief by nature."

"Are you accusing me of that?"

"It's your thing. Besides, it's been like that when you tried to claim the Master Emerald for yourself, and we had to hunt for the broken pieces all over Mobius!" **_(1)_**

"Don't try to pin the blame on me!" Rouge scoffed, adding a bit of drama and seriousness to her voice. " _You_ were the one who smashed the thing!"

"Only because I didn't want Eggman to steal it!" Knuckles got up in her face.

"Which meant it was your fault anyway!" Rouge was on the verge of strangling him.

"Can you two dunderheads stop bickering and toying around with your stupid romance?" Shadow huffed with crossed arms.

Knuckles sputtered. "I'm not in love with her, nor am I dating that bat!"

"Just stop with the fighting then," Blaze rolled her eyes. "Silver, where is Sonic, Amy, and the rest of the missing people?"

He dug in his quills to pull out the Emerald. "I explained to Knuckles that Sonic was being threatened by Eggman. The doctor even tried to kill Amy, Cream, and Cheese on the spot. But there was a strange rift that created a black hole to suck them all in. With the use of this Chaos Emerald, I saw a vision of him in another world."

"Like a world in the future from where you came from?" Espio raised an eyebrow.

"No."

"Did he get sucked into the past and warped through time?" Vector asked.

"He didn't time travel. He's literally in a separate area, one that is unfamiliar to me."

"How is it unfamiliar?" Charmy scratched his helmet in confusion.

"Think of some grassy region with a large castle, something typically found in a kingdom like Blaze's. The people who live there have these colored dots on their heads, which closely resemble these strange mushrooms that are found throughout the land."

"How did you manage to find Sonic?" the chameleon wondered.

"Just from the vision on the Chaos Emerald. I didn't find any trace of Eggman, the girls, or the other six Emeralds. Though it is likely they all reached the same location after being sucked in the black hole, with the exception of this one."

"That is really peculiar," Blaze put a hand on her chin. "But I find it unforgivable that Eggman would stoop so low to torture Sonic. He's not really a guy who wants to end someone's life that easily."

"Think again. He was almost a part of it, if that fox didn't jump in the way."

Knuckles looked at Shadow disapprovingly. "Must you look at the bleak side of things?"

"I'm just saying Eggman's been playing 'cat and mouse' with Faker for Chaos knows how long. He's basically tired of him ruining his goals that he decided to take things to a harsher standard. And the way he executed it wasn't as huge as domination. Just a simple, stupid ray gun. One blast was all it took to end an innocent life."

"Alright, Shadow. That's enough," Silver stopped him.

"How is Tails, by the way?" Charmy hovered to the white-furred hedgehog.

"I couldn't do anything to reverse death. I'm only here to prevent any potential signs of Chaos that could ruin the future time zone. Sadly, what happened in the past stays there."

Blaze stared at the ground. She was upset to hear about Tails' sacrifice, though she secretly praised him for such a valiant act. He was one of her closest friends, next to Cream, Silver, Sonic, and Amy. This was no time to continue grieving though. She had mostly moved on, and the next most important thing was to help the others return to their home.

"What's the plan, Silver?"

"I'm going to need Knuckles, Shadow, and the Master Emerald."

"Hold up," the echidna interrupted. "I never agreed to utilize the Master Emerald in your plan."

"Oh, don't be such a worrywart, Knux," Rouge spoke as she walked behind him. "What's the harm of using a big, special gem in this case?"

"EVERYTHING!" he blew up in her face. "I don't need to start another Emerald hunt with you! You'll probably waste my time!"

"Knuckles, Knuckles, Knuckles. Do you always have to think of yourself?"

"Why I oughta-" He was about to throw a spiked fist at her until he felt several arms grab onto him.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa! Chill out, dude!" Vector yelled as he and the other Chaotix members restrained him.

"I am tasked with protecting the Emerald at all costs! You think I'm doing this for myself?!"

"We already know. We're just trying to stop you from going ballistic," Espio tried to soothe him. It was quite ineffective.

Shadow shook his head with his eyes closed before he swiped the white Emerald from Silver's hand and dealt a Chaos Lance that struck the ground. The powerful blast shook the ruins. Everyone except the black hedgehog lost their balance.

"Ugh... Was that really necessary, Shadow?" Rouge glared.

"It wouldn't be if these weaklings weren't squabbling over something frivolous. Listen, I'm only here for one thing, and one thing only. I'm getting those damn Chaos Emeralds back, with or without your help. Bringing back Faker and the others is at the top of your list, but I could not care less about that."

"Oh, show some spirit at least, Shadow. We know you like Sonic to a certain degree."

Shadow didn't hesitate to throw another red bolt at the young bee.

"YOW!" he barely evaded the attack.

Silver forcefully took back the gem. "Stop it, guys! Can I please explain what we're going to do get Sonic back?"

Despite Knuckles and Rouge's complicated chemistry and Shadow's ire, everyone listened to him.

"Go ahead, Silver," Blaze urged.

"So what I wanted to say, I need Shadow to commence Chaos Control with me while Knuckles can summon the powers of the Master Emerald. I want them to be transferred into the white Emerald. With enough power, we can potentially teleport far away to the place where Sonic is right now. It will take up a ton of energy, and we need to have strong, powerful thoughts for this to succeed." Silver then turned to Rouge, Blaze, and the Chaotix. "That's where all of you come into play."

"Alright. We'll give it a shot," Vector nodded.

"First, let's get set up."

Silver directed everyone to form a ring. He and Shadow stood in the center while the others were spread out to give each other some room. The echidna was positioned directly behind the Master Emerald.

"Knuckles, I want you to turn around to face the Master Emerald. Everyone else, just remain still as you're facing us."

He did what he was told. The remaining members didn't move a muscle. Silver held out the gem in front of him.

"Okay, Knuckles. Start the transmission. Shadow, we'll initiate Chaos Control until the time is right. And all of you will think deeply."

Shadow gave a slight nod before he closed his eyes. He placed his palm on the top of the Emerald. Everybody followed as they visualized the Mushroom Kingdom. Knuckles whispered a chant, reciting Tikal's Prayer for the process to work.

"The servers are the seven Chaos. Chaos is power... Power enriched by the heart. The controller is the one that unifies the Chaos."

The large, green Emerald glistened significantly. Knuckles raised his hands in the air. He did his best to convey some of its power source to the Chaos Emerald. The hedgehogs gripped the gem harder as they felt the energy flow. The positive thoughts of the group increased the sensation. After a minute, it was almost time.

"Get ready," Silver whispered.

Shadow didn't respond as he remained focused. But he got the message. After another minute of quietness, they were ready to say those two words.

"CHAOS CONTROL!"

Silver lifted up the Emerald with Shadow's hand still on top. Several lights entered the gemstone until it gleamed. Charmy, Espio, Vector, Blaze, and Rouge squeezed their eyelids as hard as they could feel the brightness surrounding them. A flash of light trapped everyone inside before it reduced to a small orb and exploded. Everyone was gone from the ancient ruins, and the radiance of the Master Emerald dissipated.

* * *

 _Location: Bowser's Castle_

The red-capped man had a threatening look on his face. And it was no surprise his opponent mirrored his gaze, staring right at him. The only difference was that the monster had a visible grin on his large muzzle. It wasn't about him infiltrating the castle or trying to rescue Sonic's friends. It was for an opportune moment to officially take him down.

Bowser chuckled to himself. "So, Mario... How nice of you to drop on by to my lair."

"How did you find out about us?"

"It was me," a voice came from behind Bowser. There, Kamek walked around to stand next to his master.

"Kamek," Mario hissed.

"You have some guts to step foot in here."

"Well I didn't come here to sightsee and admire the décor," he spat sardonically.

"And Princess Peach," Bowser gazed at her. "It's actually a surprise to me that you would visit on your own two feet. Albeit you're with Mario, that was pretty risky for you."

The woman in pink slightly leaned back, clenching a fist near her chest as she looked half frightful and half disturbed.

Bowser later turned his attention to the blue hedgehog. "And who's this creature?"

 _"At least he didn't assume I was a rat."_ Little did he know that Bowser referred to him as one already, back when he first interrogated his friends.

"Hang on. I think I heard of something like you before."

Sonic extended an arm to the side, as if he was trying to defend Mario to his right.

"Ah-ha! You must be Sonic the Hedgehog! My partner has told me all about you and your annoying antics!"

He narrowed his eyes. _"Yep, Eggman **is** here."_

Then, Bowser thought of something. "Huh, that's weird."

"What are you talking about?"

"I've seen something like you before. Something blue, and it managed to hit me that when I tried to kidnap Peach yesterday."

"Well, maybe that blue thing _was_ Sonic."

"Did you have to say that out loud to him?" he shot a glance at the princess.

Peach realized her mistake for blurting it out. _"Me and my big mouth."_ It reminded her of the time she accidentally yelled Mario's name to Grodus, way back from an old adventure. **_(2)_**

Bowser's eyes widened, then they were narrowed again. "YOU!" he boomed, causing Cream, Cheese, Amy, and Peach to cover their ears. "You're the one who interfered my kidnapping scheme!"

"I didn't do it on purpose!"

"Well then, I guess I have more than one to get my revenge on. And when I have you in my grasp, I'm sure that Dr. Robotnik would be more than happy to see you get roasted like a marshmallow!"

"Don't you dare try to hurt Sonic!" Amy shouted through the bars.

"And who's going to stop me?" he taunted at her.

Amy didn't have an answer for that. He was as ruthless as Eggman, so he wouldn't be stopped easily.

"Don't worry, Ames," Sonic looked back and winked. "I'll handle him with Mario and Peach, right?"

Mario still had his glare fixed at Bowser, but he determinedly spoke back. "Right."

Peach didn't say anything. Instead, she nodded and pulled out her pink parasol.

"Kamek, you did your job. You can leave now."

"Are you sure, sir?'

"Yes. This is personal for me. Now go."

"If you say so." Kamek walked down the long corridor until he exited the dungeon. With the doors shut, it was just Mario, Sonic, and Peach versus the Koopa King. All Amy, Cream, and Cheese could do was watch.

"Now it's time for a fight that's overdue. Only this time, I'm making sure your game is over, Mario!"

The plumber's blood coursed in his veins. He pulled out two Fire Flowers, one for him and Peach. They transformed into white and red clothing.

Sonic stretched his arms and legs to prepare himself for the battle. Amy, for the first time in a while, was scared of her hero. Although she always had confidence in him, he was directly facing Bowser for the first time in his life. She only wanted him to not get hurt. The same could be said from Cream and Cheese's points of view.

Bowser pulled the first move by breathing a ball of fire at the heroes. All three dove off to the side. The prisoners ran back when it reached the cell door. Thankfully, the flame disappeared and didn't surpass through the openings.

Mario retaliated with some fireballs of his own. He lured Bowser to run at him. Timing his leap, he crouched his legs and jumped high to land a ground pound. He hopped off and landed back on the floor.

Peach tossed an orange flare in the air. She gripped her umbrella like a baseball bat and swung at it. (Thankfully, it was incombustible.) She proceeded to continue this trend as the flames burned his right hip. Again, the flames weren't very powerful compared to Bowser's, but every little bit counted. Mario hurled more fire at him. Bowser tried swiping his spiked tail to blow it out.

With the Koopa focusing on Mario and Peach, Sonic took advantage and boosted right at him. He jumped in the air, spread out his arms and legs, then curled into a ball as he spun in midair. He aimed his trajectory at Bowser's skull. With great accuracy, he pounced in between his horns, barely cutting off a piece of his red hair with his sharp quills.

Bowser was temporarily stunned as he got knocked back. Still on his feet, he ran a claw over his head. A tuft of his mane fell to the floor. The king snorted at the sight and growled as he turned to the hedgehog who landed on the other end of the dungeon. He was disgusted at the smirk on his face.

"You think this is a funny joke?!" he yelled as he dodged more of Mario and Peach's fireballs.

He shrugged with a small chuckle. "I mean, I heard Egghead once had half his mustache gone after I stole an exhaust hose from his jet pack and caused him to fall off a cliff. Losing part of your hair isn't too bad when you barely have any!"

Mario placed a glove on his own mustache. He couldn't imagine himself without half, or even the entire thing gone for good. The last time he didn't have facial hair was in his teenage years, and he thought he looked so awkward until he grew one.

"Grr... You won't be laughing again when I scorch all of your fur off!"

With that, Bowser blew another huge flame. Sonic zipped to the side as the fireball hit the door.

He let out a fake yawn. "Getting pretty bored, Bow-wow."

"It's _Bowser_ , and you will remember it when I destroy you!"

The large turtle hustled over to Sonic. Waiting until the last second, Sonic scooted sideways again as Bowser slammed into the dungeon doors, his weight knocking them down. Kamek, who was waiting outside, didn't see the impact coming and screeched. The broken doors crumbled on top of the magician while Bowser fell onto his stomach.

"Well that was quicker than I expected," Peach blinked.

"Yeah. Usually these fights last way longer," Mario agreed. They both reverted to their original clothing.

Sonic dashed over to the mess and found a key that apparently dropped from Kamek's possession. He rushed back to the cell and turned the key to unlock the door. Amy ran out, hugging him for comfort. He didn't fight it off and accepted the embrace.

"Sonic! Thank Chaos you're unhurt! You were amazing out there!"

"Heh, thanks, Amy. You guys are okay, right?"

"We are, Mr. Sonic. Thank you for saving us," Cream expressed her gratitude.

"Chao!" Cheese squealed.

"You're welcome. But I'm not the only one who you should thank," Sonic parted away from Amy. "Mario and Peach helped out with the fight."

"Mario, Princess Peach," the pink-furred girl turned to them, "we owe you for getting us out."

"It's our pleasure," said Peach.

"Don't thank us yet. We actually need to get out of here before-"

"Before I get back up?" the plumber got interrupted. Everyone turned to the voice to see a furious Bowser with steam fuming out of his nostrils. "You annoying, pesky plumber and your stupid hedgehog sidekick..."

"Actually, I would call myself his partner."

"I don't care! You aren't getting away with this!"

He charged straight for them, ready to release another fire breath. Mario grabbed Peach and Cream's arms while Cheese held onto the bunny, running off to the right side of the room. Sonic carried Amy in bridal style to the left. Bowser slid across the stone floor, but he lost his traction as he rammed into the bars.

"Hurry! We got to get outta here!" Sonic yelled.

"Get back here!" Bowser grunted as he recovered.

Peach opted to run by herself, because she didn't want to slow Mario down. "This way up here!"

"Are we going to escape safely?" Cream worriedly asked as she was being pulled by the plumber up the staircase.

"Don't worry! I'll lead us out to the exit! Just hold on tight!"

They reached the top of the steps and ran down the hallway. As they turned the corner, they bumped into another group.

"OW!" they all groaned from the collision. Sonic shook his head and realized what, or rather who, they ran into. It was Larry and the Elite Trio. There was something else that fell onto the carpet.

"Hey! Where did this Chaos Emerald come from?"

"We found it in the Beanbean Kingdom, so that means it's ours!" The light blue-shelled Koopa was about to grab it before Sonic swiped it first. "Hey!"

"Sorry, Mohawk. I'll be taking this."

"But we were gonna give it to the boss!" Private Goomp whined.

"And we have a chance to get a promotion!" Corporal Paraplonk muttered.

"We need that Emerald!" Sergeant Guy added.

"I don't think so, losers."

"I told you we found it earlier, so finders keepers!" Larry grunted and jumped at his hand.

Before he could reach it, Amy stepped in between them with her large mallet. "Don't even think about stealing that Chaos Emerald!"

"Stealing? If anything, _you're_ the ones stealing _our_ prize!"

"Sorry, buddy. But it belongs to us!" Without warning, Amy swung at the Koopa, knocking him back into the Elite Trio. They flew several feet down the corridor and landed awkwardly.

"Ouch! That girl's got quite the weapon!" the Paratroopa moaned.

"Ah... I think I have a concussion..." the Goomba felt dizzy.

"My mask feels like it got dented," the Shy Guy murmured.

"Stupid... hammer..." Larry creaked.

Amy turned around to see everyone surprised at her. "Well don't just stand there! Let's leave!"

"Oh, right!" Sonic almost forgot. He stuffed the light blue gem in his quills.

They all sprinted past Bowser's minions and through more hallways. Unfortunately, they ran into some more trouble when they saw Ludwig and Morton at an intersection.

"Ludwig! It's Mario!"

"Why, it certainly is! And the prisoners are with him!"

"And I think that blue rat is that Sonic guy the fat guy talked about!"

Sonic rolled his eyes irritatingly. "Of all the people here, _he's_ the one to call me a rat?!"

"That doesn't matter for now! Get out of our way!" Mario demanded.

"Dad wouldn't like it if we let you escape with ease! We're not going down without a fight," Ludwig took out his wand, as did Morton.

The black Koopaling sprayed a huge magical projectile at the heroes. Ludwig shot three of his own. Not only did they have to jump and duck to avoid them, but the latter Koopa spun into his shell right towards them. While dodging Ludwig, Peach opened up her parasol, defending herself and the others while simultaneously deflecting the magic orbs. Mario snuck in a ground pound on Morton's head while Amy banged her Piko Piko Hammer on Ludwig's spiked shell. The blue-haired turtle was dazed. Cream followed pursuit by throwing Cheese into Ludwig, knocking him unconscious. Sonic finished off Morton with a Spin Dash, launching him into the wall. The spikes on his shell cracked the brick pattern as some debris fell onto the floor.

"Whew, that was close," Peach sighed. "You three really know how to defend yourselves."

"It was no problem!" Amy winked.

"Why thank you, Princess Peach," Cream giggled. "Normally, I don't like fighting. But if it's to help us, then I try my best!"

"Chao Chao!"

"Teehee, well I think you were all great."

"As do I. But we'll save the compliments for later, because Bowser's back!"

Everyone shifted in the direction Sonic pointed. With wide eyes, they were freaked out to see the menacing glare of the Koopa King. What made him even angrier was seeing Ludwig and Morton defeated.

"GET BACK HERE!" he roared.

Mario leaped over to deliver a kick to the face. Bowser's slow reaction time didn't perceive this, and he flew back to land on his spiked shell.

"Bwah! Stupid Mario!" he struggled to get up.

The man went back to his friends. "Come on! This way!"

He eventually led them to the front entrance. With Mario leading the pack, they all exited the castle. Sonic was behind the girls as protection. However, he didn't expect what happened next. Halfway across the wide stone bridge, he felt a dart pierce the fur on his right leg.

"AHHH!" The sudden pain offset his running that he tripped over a piece of rubble.

Amy heard him yell and saw him on the ground. "Sonic!"

That prompted everyone to stop. "What's wrong?!" Cream wondered.

From a distance, Peach then saw someone peeking from the inside of the fortress. "W-Who's there?!"

Mario turned his attention to see someone walk out to reveal himself. It was a tall, yet extremely obese man in a red coat, black pants and boots, and blue glasses that hid his eyes. To the side, he held a small gun in his left hand while his right was hidden behind his back. He didn't take two seconds to figure out who it was.

Sonic barely sat up and pulled the dart out. A speck of blood started to leak out. He looked back to see who shot him. And who could it be? Why, none other than...

"Eggman."

Yeah, him.

"Well, well, well. If it isn't Sonic! It's been a while since I've seen you!" Sonic scowled with his teeth showing. "Why, what's with the mean face?"

"Can it, Baldy! You shot a dart at me, didn't you?!"

"Why would you suspect me of that?" he explicitly expressed sarcasm.

"Cut the crap already!"

"Fine! If that's how you want to talk to me, so be it! Yes, I did shoot a dart at you with this tranquilizer I built. Don't worry, it's just a plain dart. No side effects whatsoever. This was just to stop you from fleeing!"

"How'd you even know we were escaping?"

"I overheard there was something going on down in the dungeon when Bowser was checking it. Turns out you managed to save your silly friends with the help of that fat plumber and the dainty princess. You may have rescued them, but you're not going to get away with this!"

"You just won't stop being a bother, will you, Eggface?"

"The only one who's being a bother is you! Because you've probably angered my evil associate, I might as well cheer him up by giving him a different prisoner! You, of course!"

Sonic maintained his glare, barely looking down to see the blood drip. He was about to stand up, fighting the slight discomfort. The problem was that he wasn't at full strength to get on his feet.

"And to make sure you're completely immobilized, I created this!" Eggman showed his right hand, holding a bigger gun.

"The death ray?!"

"No. My death ray is out of commission for now. I devised something from the inspiration of my fellow partner. It's a Bullet Bill Blaster, except this thing shoots out bullets much faster than the ones from Bowser's old cannons! Typically, being struck by a regular, slow Bullet Bill isn't so bad. But when it's blasted out of this baby, it can move as fast as you! And the damage will be severe!"

Mario's eyes bulged when he heard Eggman's statement.

"How do you even know that's true? You probably never tested it out."

"Oh, I am testing it out. You're my first subject."

"WHAT?!"

The girls stood with anxiety as they watched the hedgehog barely moving, unable to escape the impending attack. They later felt a quick breeze run by them. Peach looked forward at a different sight, only to realize what was going on.

"HAVE A NICE BLAST, SONIC!"

Eggman shot the Bullet Bill at him. It wasn't as fast as he claimed. But compare it to the speed of Mario's Fireball pitch in baseball, and you can get a good idea on how painful it would be to get beaned. **_(3)_**

However, this wasn't a fireball. It was a Bullet Bill, something that's considered deadlier to an extent.

Sonic closed his eyes, awaiting the impact. For some reason though, he didn't get hit. But he felt something.

He felt something grasp his body and was thrown off to the side. The next thing he heard was a muffled noise filled with agony.

"NO!"

The Blue Blur heard Peach, Amy, and Cream shriek loudly. He opened his eyes and peered over to his right. There, he saw a body lay on the ground. A blackened patch was visible on the chest, and a trail of smoke ascended into the dark air.

Sonic was completely speechless. It wasn't him who got injured.

It was Mario.

 ** _END OF CHAPTER_**

* * *

 _I feel like a horrible person yet again. When will I stop making the heroes suffer from physical or emotional pain? Probably never. But anyways..._

 _Knuckles, Silver, and the rest of the Sonic gang back on Mobius have transported via Chaos Control. Did the process work? Will they land in the Mushroom Kingdom soon? As for Mario and Sonic, the latter reunited with Amy, Cream, and Cheese. But he was halted by his lifelong foe. And as soon as Eggman had him, Mario enters in to take the Bullet Bill. Is this giving you any flashbacks to anything? Because it should. (Refer to Ch. 2 and 6.)_

 _What will become of Mario and Sonic? Will Knuckles, Silver, and the others find their friends, or rather, get to their destination safely? And how's life been for Luigi and Tails since the brotherly reunion?_

 _Please review, follow/favorite, and I'll see you guys in Ch. 19 of New Brotherhood! This is TGN, signing off._

* * *

 ** _Post-Chapter Notes:_**

 ** _(1):_** _Knuckles' role in both Sonic Adventure & SA2 was to find the pieces of the Master Emerald after it was shattered. Rouge was included in the latter game when she was fighting over possession of the large diamond._

 ** _(2):_** _In Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door, Peach was kidnapped by Sir Grodus, a mysterious leader of an army known as the X-Nauts. She accidentally revealed the identity of Mario, whom she had sent a magical map to locate a set of powerful collectibles known as the Crystal Stars. These were necessary to unlock the mystical entrance. This led to Grodus targeting Mario to get the map so they could find the Crystal Stars. His objective was to use them to conquer the world and unlock the legendary treasure that lied behind the door._

 ** _(3):_** _Mario's Star Skill in the baseball games ( Mario Superstar Baseball and Mario Super Sluggers) is the Fireball. When pitching, he hurls a red fireball which is considered tough to hit because of its blazing velocity. However, it is hittable if you practice the timing._


	20. Ch 19: Like a Brother

_A/N:_ _Happy MAR10 Day!_

 _I appreciate your patience since I ended the last chapter on a nerve-racking cliffhanger. Now, you get to see the aftermath. Special thanks to GirlOnDarkerSide, Steel Fairy, Pikminfan, ShinyToast, FairyTalePrincess16, and Mitha Sentro for your reviews in the last one! And good lord, this fanfic's view count is over **9,000**! Thanks so much!_

* * *

 _Disclaimer:_ _It should be pretty obvious for what goes here._

* * *

 **Chapter 19:** Like a Brother

"MARIO!" Peach cried out loud. Her instincts told her to help him off the bridge. Sonic watched the princess run over to the plumber, with Amy following. "Mario! Mario, are you okay?!"

They all heard him groan slightly. "Oh, P-Peach?"

"Gah! I should've filled this blaster with more ammunition! You're very lucky, Sonic!" Eggman pointed a finger at him. "Your friend was brave enough to save you. For my partner, he'll probably like the outcome. But next time, you'll be the one feeling the pain!" The doctor marched back inside the fortress, hoping to find Bowser to tell him what happened.

The hedgehog didn't like a single word that was said to him. But he was more entranced at Mario who was being lifted up by Amy and Peach. Cream and Cheese ran up to them.

"Mr. Mario! Are you hurt?" the bunny asked.

"Only a little," he fibbed. He didn't want her to see how severe his injuries were. Unfortunately, Cream was able to see what he received from the Bullet Bill. Other than the scorched clothing, there was a visible bruise near his neck. A few drops of red were also noticeable.

"Oh no! We have to save him!"

Peach held Mario by his right underarm and Amy supported his left. "Cream, can you please hold him for a second?" Cream didn't hesitate as she darted over to Mario. The princess walked to Sonic who remained still from his spot. "Are you alright, Sonic?"

He blinked and shook his head rapidly to refocus. "Yeah. I'm fine."

Sonic got up with her help and they returned Mario. Peach took over again to hold up the red hero. "We should head back to Toad Town immediately. Sonic, can you lead the way so Amy, Cream, and Cheese can follow?"

"Yeah, sure," he maintained a stare at his friend. Mario was breathing heavily and inconsistently. He looked like he was about to pass out.

"Don't worry, Mario. We got you," Amy reassured, hoping he heard her.

Gratefully, he did. "Th-Thanks..." he mumbled.

They ran across the bridge and escaped the castle. With the blue hedgehog up front, he made sure to not run fast so he wouldn't lose Mario and the girls. Speaking of the man, Sonic checked back at him to see if he was either awake or tired. Staring at his wounds disturbed him.

 _"Eggman was aiming for me. Why did he have to sacrifice himself?"_

Amy barely caught a glance at Sonic's expression. "Sonic? Is something wrong?"

He shifted his eyes at the pink hedgehog before facing the path ahead of him, shielding his face. "No, it's nothing. We have a long way to go, so we gotta get there fast," he continued trekking.

"Will Mr. Mario be okay? What's going to happen to him?"

"Chao, Chao?" Cheese whimpered.

"Once we get back, we'll bring him to the hospital. It's the Toadley Clinic, located in the south region of Toad Town. Hopefully the doctor and his staff will take care of the rest," Peach explained while trying to keep her tears at bay.

"Then we better not lose our pace," Amy suggested.

Sonic heard their conversation. To himself, he made a mental promise. _"Mario, I'm not going to let you die. You promised that you would help me and the others get back home. And most of all, you're my friend."_ His mind wandered with guilt and angst as they made their way out of Dark Land.

Meanwhile, Eggman was searching for his ally in the castle. He went through several hallways and found him in an awkward situation. Bowser Jr., Iggy, Wendy, Lemmy, and Roy were also there, struggling to push their father on his feet, or rather his stomach. Basically, he was stuck on his spiked shell for the past several minutes. With Larry, Ludwig, Morton, Kamek, and the Elite Trio unavailable, the five of them didn't have the strength to topple him back to normal.

"Ugh, must I do all the work myself?" He strolled over and lifted part of his body to flip the large Koopa over. He was now lying on his belly.

"Grr... I hate that stupid, meddling Mario! He always ruins everything!" he grunted, barely moving his jaw against the floor.

"If it makes you feel any better, I used my Bill Blaster and shot a Bullet Bill at Sonic, only for that red man to pull him out of the way and take the hit for himself."

"Yer saying dat plumber sacrificed himself?" Roy looked up with a hint of surprise.

"It's not like he was picking flowers for the guy!"

"Flowers? Where did you get that idea?" Iggy wondered.

"Never mind that! The main problem is, the prisoners escaped the castle with our enemies, but not without a little retribution. It didn't go as I planned. In my defense, the plumber was the one who decided to take the bullet, literally."

"Well then let's go after them!" Jr. demanded.

Bowser managed to stand up after all that. "No, just leave them."

"What? But Papa-"

"I said, we'll leave them be, for now."

"For now?" the Koopalings repeated.

"What are you insinuating?" Dr. Eggman raised an eyebrow.

"I'm somewhat fine with Mario being incapacitated. But _I_ want the full experience for _my_ revenge. We'll just wait for the right time. Besides, Eggman still needs more time building whatever he needs to complete."

"Are you sure about that?"

"Trust me. We'll attack when they'll least expect it. In the meantime, we need to be fully rested, including me and the others who were attacked. Everyone, go to your rooms. You'll start training tomorrow morning."

Jr. and the Koopalings were skeptical, yet they obeyed him as they grudgingly left the hall. Eggman gave Bowser one last glance.

"When do you want to pull out this surprise ambush?"

"Just give it time. I reiterate, I'm not that patient, but it'll work out in the end."

"How can you be so sure?"

"I just know it," he finished arrogantly. _"Mario, you will soon meet your demise for good. That is if your life doesn't end already."_

* * *

 _Location: The Overthere_

Hours have gone by since Luigi and Tails completed their brotherly reunion with their older siblings. Although it couldn't last forever, they were quite satisfied with their visit.

"So, what do you think they're doing right now?" Tails asked the younger Mario brother.

Luigi pondered as the two angels were taking a leisurely stroll in the clouds. "Well, Sonic did say Mario was helping him find his friends and a way home. I can almost guarantee they're searching for them now. If not, it's possible they could have found them already."

"I just hope Amy, Cream, and Cheese are alright, wherever they are."

"If only we could help them. I mean, if there was ever a way to bend the rules of the Overthere, we can be some sort of guides, you know?"

"I think I know what you mean. But Grambi said that our reunion was a one-time thing. We're not allowed to go back to the real world or we could suffer his consequences. We could be sent to the Underwhere as our eternal punishment!"

"That is true."

"Although, it would've been nice to see more of the Mushroom Kingdom. It looked like a beautiful place when we were in the town. But we were only limited for an hour to spend time with Mario and Sonic. The first half was just looking for them."

"Who knows? Miracles can happen if you strongly believe. That's something Princess Peach would say whenever we had some friendly conversations over a cup of tea. I'm not a guy who has high hopes, but this is something I'm passionate about. Otherwise, we may have to look on a different side."

Tails stopped walking and grimaced. That prompted the green man to stop as well. "You mean, where Mario and Sonic... die?"

"I mean, I don't see any other way to meet with them again. We did our job to keep them alive. I can definitely say that not everyone is immortal. Death is inevitable. They all have to pass away at some point in their lives. But, I rather not let it happen sooner than later...

"I at least want Mario to live until he's old enough where he wouldn't have to constantly protect the Mushroom Kingdom. He's had tons of experience of saving the worlds and Princess Peach from Bowser or any other sources of evil. He may like being a hero, but he'll probably get tired of it. And eventually, he'll be too old to take care of our world. It'd be too much pressure in his hands. Regardless, everyone looks up to him as a role model, including me so that I could be a hero, too. Not just to be known as 'Green Mario' or hide in the shadows, but to become my own character and embrace it...

"But what I'm trying to say is, there's no way to escape death. Eventually, I'll reunite with Mario, and you can reunite with Sonic. I don't know when exactly, but it will happen. Just, not right now. Mario seemed very keen to help Sonic return home and find his other friends. He's dedicated to helping him."

Tails could see where Luigi was going. "I guess you're right. I would rather let Sonic live a happy life rather than suffer a painful loss. I just hope he's doing fine right now."

"Don't worry, Tails. I'm sure he's-" Luigi was interrupted by a ringing sound. He looked down to see a red light blinking on his bracelet. "Why is it doing that?"

"Beats me. Can you try turning it off?"

"I'll try, but I don't know how." Luigi kept pressing the only button on it. Suddenly, an image appeared on the screen.

"What's going on?"

"I don't know." The bracelet showed someone Luigi instantly knew. "Wait a minute, there's Mario!"

"But where's Sonic?"

"Hang on, what's Mario doing?"

They watched what was taking place. To their surprise, they saw the red plumber grab Sonic by the shoulders and throw him off to the side. As a result, a raging Bullet Bill made contact with Mario's torso, just below the neck. He was landed on his back, and he was in extreme pain.

"What just happened?!" Tails panicked.

"He... he got shot by a Bullet Bill. I've never seen one so fast before, nor as deadly either. But from all that, Mario took the hit for Sonic."

Tails blinked and thought back to the time he protected his best friend from Eggman's laser. Sonic was saved twice: first by him, and now by Mario. He viewed Luigi's grim face. He barely saw a tear escape his eye. Before they could further speculate, the screen went black, and the bracelet went back to normal.

"Luigi?"

The plumber looked down at the fox. "Yes?"

"Are..." Tails hesitated. "Are you okay?"

He looked away towards the bright sun in the blue sky. He didn't give a response.

"Luigi?"

The man closed his eyes and breathed through his nose. _"Bro, cosa è_ _successo?" **(1)**_

"Do you want to talk to Grambi about this?"

Luigi finally had the courage to speak. "I think so. He probably deserves to know."

Tails gave him a rub on the shoulder, hoping he could soothe his anxiety knowing that his brother got hurt. Concurrently, he wondered how Sonic was doing. Physically, he seemed alright, other than the blood he noticed from his leg. But mentally, how was he feeling when Mario chose to get him out of the way of the Bullet Bill? Was he grateful? Angry? Confused? Or some other emotion? For now, the least he could do was be sympathetic for Luigi and pray that their older brothers were safe.

* * *

 _Location: Toadley Clinic **(2)**_

After returning to Toad Town, Mario was given immediate attention when Sonic ran ahead to alert the staff inside the hospital. Dr. Toadley was the first to react alongside some of his most trustworthy members.

Sonic told the doctor about the incident and what happened subsequently. During the trip, Mario struggled to stay awake as he coughed up blood and lost consciousness twice. It caused the girls to stop several times before they could carry him home. And as soon as they reached the clinic, he was unresponsive for a third time. Two of his assistants lifted the man to a gurney and rushed him to the elevator.

Princess Peach begged to see him as soon as possible. Dr. Toadley explained that he would be taken care of, but he must have some privacy as his helpers tend to his wounds. In the meantime, Peach borrowed a phone to call Toadsworth regarding the issue. While she was away, Sonic, Amy, Cream, and Cheese were escorted to a waiting room. The hedgehogs sat on a two-seater couch while the bunny rested on a recliner with the Chao in her lap.

Sonic's fingers curled and uncurled repeatedly. His right leg was shaking as his shoe tapped the floor. He couldn't stop thinking about the memory of Mario pulling him away to receive Eggman's attack. His lifelong enemy was targeting him, and his friend took the hit. It reminded him so much of Tails taking the deadly ray to save his life.

He had to question the situation again. _"Why, Mario? Why did you do it?"_

Amy noticed how tense Sonic looked. His eyelids were lowered as if he looked tired, but he could unexpectedly explode into a tantrum if the wrong thing was said. She wanted to remain silent, but her intuition was telling her to soothe him.

"Sonic, Mario will be okay," she laid a hand on top of his.

The cobalt hedgehog recoiled to her discontent. He got up from his seat and left the waiting room. Cream and Cheese stared at Amy who could only look back. All three had sadness written on their faces as they didn't know what to do. The only thing they could do was wait and hope Mario was alive.

By himself, Sonic ran outside the clinic and sprinted around the Mushroom Kingdom. He hoped he could use this run as a mental escape. But with every ticking second, Mario was the first and only thing that came to mind. Why was he holding a grudge against this? Not even he knew the answer. And unlike other times in the past, running away didn't solve his problem. He stared at the moon, looking for a sign or some glimmer of hope.

Several minutes later, he found himself back inside the hospital, dashing through the hallways without bumping into the Toad assistants who were hard at work to treat the other patients. Using the stairs (of course), he climbed to the third floor and searched for Mario's room. Dr. Toadley told him and his friends that he would be admitted into Room 310, and they could visit him once his staff completed the necessary actions to keep him healthy. This hospital was large, large enough to help out the entire population of Toad Town if necessary. It wasn't as hectic and crowded as the day when the myriad of Toads who were infected by the Blorbs was treated. However, today marked one of the busiest times when the hero of the Mushroom Kingdom was in critical condition.

As for the mustached hero, Sonic could see him from outside his room, straight through a glass window. He was changed into a pair of blue shorts while he still had his signature hat. Tons of machines were hooked up to his upper body. A heart monitor stood to Mario's right, beeping at an irregular rate. A few IV stands gave him blood and various fluids as well. It was excruciating to see Mario like this.

Besides him, there were two more people in there: Dr. Toadley, who was checking his symptoms, and Princess Peach, who was constantly staring at the poor man. She was sitting in a chair, holding his hand tightly.

"How is he, Doctor?" she worriedly asked.

He was currently listening to Mario's heartbeat, carefully minding the bandages that wrapped around his chest. Taking the bell off and removing the earpieces, he grimly looked at the princess from across the bed.

"Is he alright? Yes, indeed. However, how long must it take for him to recover? No less than two weeks."

"Two weeks?!"

"Maybe longer than that, perhaps," Dr. Toadley closed his eyes. Although his mouth was covered by a veil, he seemed concerned. "He was struck by a Bullet Bill, correct? Well, the one he got hit by was very severe, blasted at such high velocity and with a lot of force. How severe, you may wonder? As harmful as a third-degree burn."

"Oh, dear..." Peach shifted to see Mario's face. His blue eyes remained closed.

"Would it be pleasant for him to heal faster? Certainly, that's for sure. Is it possible though? Probably not." Dr. Toadley looked out the room to see the hedgehog staring from the hallway. "I see that your blue friend is outside waiting."

She gazed over at the window that separated them and Sonic. He had a hand pressed against the glass while the other made a fist. He moved his emerald eyes to stare at Peach. She did the same, only she had tears that threatened to fall.

"I want to have some privacy with Mario first, if he doesn't mind," she sniffled.

Dr. Toadley simply nodded and walked over to the window. He managed to look at Sonic, giving him a sorrowful expression before he pulled a curtain to block the window. The hedgehog stepped back, wondering why he did that. He later found out when the Toad exited the room and approached him.

"Was I regretful for doing what I just did? Yes, I did. But the princess requested to have some time with Mario before I can let you have a chance to see him."

"Fair enough," he mumbled.

"Am I deeply sorry for what happened? Absolutely, for this is Mario's life we're talking about. Is he alright though? He's currently holding his own. I'll check on him later today. Do I wish him the best of luck? Without a doubt. Now, I must be going. I have to check in with my next patient. Thank you for alerting me earlier today."

"You're welcome, Doctor," he nodded and watched the Toad walk away in the other direction.

Just then, he barely heard some muffled noises inside the room. And what made him anxious was the sound of Mario's voice.

"P-Peach..."

"Mario?!"

 _"Is he awake now?"_ he wondered.

It seemed so since the two started to have a conversation. But throughout their talk, Peach was weeping. Sonic could understand. If Mario were... to die, that meant she would have lost another great friend. Additionally, everyone would have lost him. If he were gone, where would the Mushroom Kingdom be without him? Sonic could hear some foreign language from Mario. Although he couldn't understand Italian, it sounded like he was comforting Peach from her wave of emotions. Sonic did his best to remain patient. Leaning against the wall and tapping his foot, he waited until they were done talking. Despite taking up fifteen minutes of his time, Peach quietly walked out of the room and faced Sonic.

"He's awake," she said with a sad smile.

At least that answered his question. Sonic breathed through his nose, feeling somewhat grateful.

"You can go in now. Sorry I took so long."

"No, it's fine. I know how close you two are."

She blushed. "Well, he's waiting. Go ahead. I'll tell Amy, Cream, and Cheese about the news."

"Thanks."

Once Peach was away, Sonic walked over to the door. He grabbed the handle, stood there for a few seconds, and slowly entered inside. He instantly locked his eyes on Mario. The red-hatted man was sitting upright against a few pillows as he moved his head to see the blue animal. Sonic closed the door gently and slowly walked towards the bed.

"Hey, Sonic," Mario greeted.

"Mario," he blankly replied.

"You can sit down if you want," he pointed at the chair to his right.

"No thanks. I'm good standing up."

"Okay. Whatever you prefer."

Sonic didn't show it, but he was irritated. Mario seemed as if he wasn't hurt at all. He looked and sounded fine, and that ticked him off. The beeping of the heart monitor added some extra tension in the awkward silence.

"So, how are you feeling?" Sonic questioned.

"Better than I was before," Mario answered honestly. "Thank you for taking me back."

"I didn't do anything. Peach and Amy carried you over."

"Well, you must have done something at least."

"I just led them so they could bring you here for medical help."

"That's good at least." Sonic felt as if Mario was sarcastic with that comment. Little did he know that the man actually meant it. "How are your friends?"

"They're worried, especially Cream. For a girl like her, she's too young to experience anything horrific. And what she saw back at the castle frightened her for Chaos' sake."

Mario then felt guilty. "Oh. I'm sorry that I scared her. I didn't mean to."

"I'm sure you didn't," he held in his anger.

Another few seconds of silence passed by. "Peach said that the doctor predicted I could be here for two weeks or more."

 _"It should have been me in that bed for two weeks. As much as I hate hospitals, I'm the one who should be laying there."_

"But, what's important is that you're safe."

That line was the one that set Sonic off. "Are you serious?" he made a fist as Mario didn't notice.

"Yeah, I am."

Sonic blinked. He slowly got closer to him, raised his right hand, and slapped the bedridden patient as hard as he could.

"OW!" Mario was too surprised to be mad at the unexpected action. "What was that for?!"

"Cut it out, already! You think it's important that _I'm_ safe?!"

"Yeah. Why-"

"Eggman was shooting for _me_! He was aiming at _ME_! He wasn't going for _you_!" he pointed fingers with emphasis.

"I know that. That's why I ran over and got you out of the way."

"Why the hell did you do that?!"

"What do you mean, 'Why did I do that'? I was protecting you, of course."

"And you shouldn't have done that!"

"Why not?"

"I just said it! He was shooting the bullet at _ME_ , and _ME_ only! You weren't supposed to get injured! _I_ was!"

The yelling was giving Mario a migraine, but he tried to remain calm. "Sonic, I just wanted to save you from-"

"Don't give me that shit again! You were lying this entire time! You must really think I'm not capable of handling things on my own! You just have to hog the spotlight for yourself! You just had to play hero to save my life!"

"Because that's what friends do," Mario was getting frustrated. "And I wasn't lying. We're not having this conversation again like the time we clashed in the castle."

"You're not my friend. You're just the 'so-called hero' like I said before. You wanted to show that you're better than me. I was right all along."

Now, Mario was livid. "Sonic, I saved you because I didn't want you to get hurt! I didn't do it to get all the attention!"

"Pfft, please..." the hedgehog rolled his eyes, and turned his back to him, crossing his arms. He infuriated the man even more.

"I'm being serious! Look at me, Sonic!"

"I don't think so!"

"Don't act like a child about this!"

"You're the one acting like a child!"

"Says who?"

"Says me!"

"Check yourself, Sonic. We're both arguing like little children, but you're the one making a big deal out of nothing!"

"Me?!" he turned around.

"Yes, you."

"What am I making a big deal of?!"

"That I saved you! I already told you I didn't do it just to prove that I'm a hero or that I'm better than you!"

"Then why did you take the Bullet Bill for me?! Why did you really save me?!"

 **"Because you're like a brother to me!"**

...

...

...

After their heated clash, that sentence changed the tone in the room. Sonic's face went into a state of shock, standing straight up with wide eyes and an open mouth. Mario maintained a deep glare before he realized what he just said. He softened his expression and looked away. Neither of them said a word or did anything for the next minute.

Sonic shuddered. "W-What did you say?"

Mario didn't move his head, but his eyes shifted to the hedgehog for a quick second. "I said... you're... like a brother... to me..."

Another long pause came between them. The heart monitor was the only sound they heard.

Then, Sonic took one step back before he dashed out the door. Mario started to feel sick to his stomach. He leaned over the bed and threw up on the floor. His body seared with unbearable pain that he hid during his talk with the hedgehog.

Sonic scurried into the men's bathroom and locked himself into a stall. He was breathing heavily as he leaned over the toilet, having the urge to vomit. He felt nauseous. However, he couldn't do it. He continued to wheeze before he got up and sat on the seat. Slanting a hand on the wall, Sonic's mind went numb.

 _"Did Mario really say that?"_ was the question that lingered inside.

Apparently so since those words repeated in his head.

 _"Because you're like a brother to me!"_

It was at that moment Sonic finally felt it coming up. He got off the toilet, turned around, and let his body do the rest.

 ** _END OF CHAPTER_**

* * *

 _And after that disgusting note, this has been a roller coaster of a chapter. Mario revealed a shocking statement that not only staggered Sonic, but himself as well. How do they even feel about it? Luigi and Tails somehow managed to find out about Mario's sacrifice to protect Sonic. But why did it show up in the first place?_

 _Thanks for waiting and taking the time to read this chapter! Please review, follow/favorite for more, and I'll see you next time when New Brotherhood returns! This is TGN, signing off._

* * *

 ** _Post-Chapter Notes:_**

 ** _(1):_** _Luigi's thought translates to 'Bro, what happened?'_

 ** _(2):_** _The Toadley Clinic is a hospital run by Dr. Toadley, a doctor/fortune-teller who usually asks and answers his own questions. They are both found in Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story for the Nintendo DS (and in the eventual 3DS remake of M&L: BIS + Bowser Jr.'s Journey_) _. In this game, the clinic was the setting for the massive Toad population who were infected with a disease called the Blorbs. (I also explained this in my first story, Hidden Bravery.)_


	21. Ch 20: Fraternal Feelings

_A/N:_ _Thank you for waiting for the next update. However, I have some bad news to discuss after the end of this chapter. I hope you'll understand._

* * *

 _Disclaimer:_ _I don't own anything but the story idea. Mario and Sonic belong to Nintendo and Sega, respectively._

* * *

 **Chapter 20:** Fraternal Feelings

 _Location: The Overthere_

The Nimbi ruler fluttered over to his chamber, passing the same two Nimbis who ran into Luigi while playing ball the other day. He smiled from behind his beard, being in a great mood to see everyone continuing to enjoy their time peacefully. As he was about to open the door, the green plumber and the twin-tailed kitsune called his name.

"Grambi!"

He looked over at them. "Oh, Masters Tails and Luigi," he greeted cheerfully. "How was thy visit to the Mushroom Kingdom? Did thou meet thy older siblings?"

"Yes, we did. And before we continue, thanks again for letting us see them again," Tails gratefully told him.

"It's mine pleasure." The king turned his head to see Luigi, whose face was written with concern. "Why, Luigi, what seems to art the problem?"

"You see, Grambi, we came to speak to you about something urgent."

"Urgent? Hmm, come into mine room and we'll talk about it." He pushed the doors open to allow them in first. He locked them up and turned on the lights. "Okay, Luigi. What is on thy mind?"

"You know how these Brotherhood Bracelets that you and the Nimbi sages built allowed us to warp to my home?"

Grambi slightly chortled. "Of course. That's wherefore I decided to invent them for thou two. Are thou not satisfied withal them?"

"No, both of us are. However, there was something else it did for me."

"And what's that?"

Luigi tugged the collar of his green shirt. "Um, you see..." He started to stutter.

"Go on, Luigi," Tails urged.

He swallowed the lump in his throat. "So, the bracelet started beeping."

"I mean, it's supposed to beep to warn thou about thy timeth limit down thither. I did give thou the full hour to find and engage a reunion withal them."

"Yes, but that's not exactly what I meant. We already returned to the Overthere hours after our visit." That made Grambi confused. "The light on the bracelet was blinking as it made the noise. When I tried to turn it off, something strange occurred."

"Something strange?"

"The digital screen gave me an image of Mario. He was running over to Sonic, who was apparently on the ground, and he threw him to the side as he got struck by a Bullet Bill!"

The Nimbi was aghast, although he didn't express it. "Are thou certain that's what thou saw?"

"He's right, sir," the vulpine backed up his friend. "I witnessed the scene, too. And Mario looked like he was in critical condition."

Grambi shuffled over to the other side of the room. Luigi and Tails turned around, wondering what he was doing. Standing near the water goblet, the elderly spirit shut his eyes. The liquid rippled until he viewed an image of the Toadley Clinic. He manipulated the water so he could get a better view of the inside. Once he was successful, he saw the red-hatted man in a hospital bed, wheezing heavily over the side. Dr. Toadley and some nurses were inside to soothe the patient while cleaning up the mess on the floor.

 _"Oh nay,"_ he thought for a second. "Gentlemen," he gestured afterward.

They sauntered over to the chalice. Luigi stared with wide, nervous eyes. The look on his brother's face was pale, a clear sign that he was sick. But he also noticed how badly bruised Mario was. White gauze covered his upper torso, and machines were hooked up to his physique. Staring at Mario being hospitalized made him shudder.

"Do you think he's alright?" Tails wondered.

If only Grambi had an answer that was truthful yet also reassuring. Based on Mario's condition, the only thing he can do was wish him for a full recovery.

"I'm sure he'll returneth to full health."

Luigi was somewhat doubtful. "How can you tell?"

"It's mine intuition."

"Well, besides that, I wanted to ask you about my bracelet. Was there a reason why it notified me of this incident? Was there some sort of connection that this gave me an update on how Mario is doing?"

Grambi was afraid he would ask something like that. He felt that the two should know the truth.

"The sages and I built these devices for the sole purpose of unifying the bonds withal thy respective brothers. But thither was another function that was developed into the technology. It's a 'Sibling Signal', an occurrence that takes placeth of what goes on down in thy world, notifying thou an one of thy brothers got himself into peril. Since Mario was the one to art affected, thy signal was stimulated from the response. And the scene replayed in front of thou as an up-to-date event. This only happens an thou were far apart from each other."

Luigi thought there was more to his reasoning. He just didn't know what. "Why did you include this? Did you want me to be aware of Mario almost dying?"

"No, it's not liketh that."

"Then what is it like?" Tails noticed how tense Luigi's voice was.

"That... it's something I cannot explain, really."

"You must have a reason for why this Sibling Signal is even a part of my bracelet."

"And I reiterate, it's something I cannot explain."

"Why not?" his eyebrows lowered.

"I believe our timeth is up," he dismissed while the water undulated as the image disappeared.

"King Grambi, why won't you tell me the truth?"

"It's something that's worth breaking the laws of the Overthere. That's as much as I'll describe it."

"What about breaking the rules?" Tails was confused.

"Please, thou two. Thou hast had a long day after seeing Masters Mario and Sonic. I believe that is gratifying enough to allow thou men to sitteth down, relax, and enjoy thy timeth together before things could get awry. And by that, it means I don't want Queen Jaydes to banish thou from our land and let thou live thy lives in any depths of the Underwhere. I know better based on thy history. Thou don't deserve to live thither, and I won't allow any actions that could jeopardize thy afterlives. Now, please hie get some rest. I'm sorry to troubleth thou."

Before either of them could talk back, Grambi gently pushed the two angels outside of his chambers and locked his doors.

"That was bizarre, not to mention unaccommodating," Tails murmured.

"Grambi was definitely hiding something from us. I just don't know what it is and why he was keeping it secret."

"Maybe it was something personal to him, Luigi."

"Personal where it risks our lives, even though we're technically spirits? I don't understand. I mean, I understand the consequences since he gave us the bracelets. I just don't know how it ties into the signal to show that Mario and Sonic were in trouble, along with the fact that Mario was injured."

"If it was important, maybe he wasn't expecting it to happen so soon. He could probably explain the meaning behind it sooner or later. Now wasn't the right time, based on his reaction."

"I guess. But still, that makes me more worried about my bro. To think, we were talking about them wanting to live prolonged, happy lives until their games are over. Suddenly, just after we got to reunite with them, they were involved in some trouble, especially Mario."

"I still wonder if Sonic is doing alright, too."

"At this point, I'm worried for both of them."

The plumber and the fox haven't moved from their spots in front of Grambi's room. It was at that point Tails decided to retire for the day.

"Come on, Luigi. Let's get some sleep."

He sighed. "Okay. I'm right behind you."

Tails tried to form a smile to cheer him up, but his body wouldn't let him. Lingering in his mind was the visualization of Mario saving the Blue Blur and feeling sick in the hospital. While he also wished him for a fast, full recovery, he couldn't help but worry about Sonic.

This was not the kind of note to end a day on when it was supposed to be pleasant.

* * *

 _Location: Toadley Clinic_

Princess Peach ambled to the main floor's waiting room where Amy, Cream, and Cheese stayed for the past two hours. Her footsteps caught their attention.

"Peach, how's Mario?" Amy sat up from her seat.

She sighed but gave a small smile. "He's okay."

"I'm glad Mr. Mario's alright," Cream smiled at the news.

"Chao!" Cheese was also relieved.

"It's nothing too severe, right?"

"There are scars and a major bruise he sustained from the Bullet Bill, but the doctor mentioned everything else should be fine. However, he could be in the hospital for at least two weeks."

"Oh, I'm sorry."

"Can we see him now?"

"I'm sure we can. Sonic was there before I left."

The girls and the Chao headed over to the elevators to reach the third floor. After getting off, they walked over to Mario's room, except they ran into a surprise. Seeing through the window with the curtains open, Mario was sitting up with a bucket in front of him. His face looked queasy and white. Dr. Toadley was by his side, looking after the bedridden man.

"I thought you said Mario was okay," Amy turned to the princess.

"After he woke up, he seemed to be alright. I didn't expect him to be sick for some reason."

"Isn't Mr. Sonic supposed to be here?"

"He is. But I don't know where he is now."

"I can go search for him," Amy proposed. "I'll catch up with you three in Mario's room once they're done in there."

"Okay, Amy. Thanks."

The pink hedgehog walked down the corridor and turned the corner, passing by more of the hospital rooms with patients waiting to be tended. In one room, he caught sight of a female Koopa Troopa holding a baby with her green-shelled husband grasping her hand. Both parents had large smiles on their faces. They lovingly stared at their newborn child, sleeping peacefully while wrapped up in a soft, pink blanket.

"Hmm, apparently not all Koopas are evil or bad-tempered," she whispered to herself.

As she continued onward, Amy noticed a pair of Toads, a father and his daughter, outside in the hallway. The latter was hugging her dad as she was crying in his arms. She realized why when she peeked into the room adjacent to them. It featured a couple of surgeons performing an operation on a four-year old Toad. Because the procedure required an incision in his body, the little boy was crying as the medical staff tried to complete their job as quickly and efficiently as they can. His mother had tears falling from her eyes as she prayed for her son to feel better. **_(1)_**

"Oh my, that poor kid. His family must be holding on for dear life, too."

Amy scuffled past another area where a young Paratroopa was lying in the hospital bed. His family was in the room with a nurse. The door was closed, so she couldn't hear what she was saying. But through the window, Amy saw the mother lowering her head on her husband's shoulder while he held her tightly. The person standing in front of his parents was another young Paratroopa, who appeared older than the one in bed. She presumed he was the older brother in the family. His face scrunched up before he was in a state of denial, unaccepting the news the Toad nurse told in front of him and his parents. As a result, he flew out of the room in a harsh manner.

She quickly moved out of the way so the Paratroopa wouldn't bump into her. As he winged his way towards the men's room, she had a feeling of why he reacted like that.

 _"Wow, that's so sad,"_ she thought as she gazed back inside the room. She stared at the sleeping patient, followed by the parents. She was feeling crestfallen for them. _"They lost their child, and he lost his younger brother? Why does fate have to happen like this?"_

The Paratroopa father went out to follow his son. As he entered the bathroom, Amy heard a violent cough from that direction. She quickly turned her head to see someone exit into the hall.

"Sonic."

The blue hedgehog noticed her. "Amy?"

"There you are," she strolled up to him. "I was looking for you."

"You were?" Hey, at least she wasn't doing it _obsessively_.

"Yeah. Peach told me that you were with Mario, but we didn't see you when we got to his room."

"Oh, sorry about that. I just needed to go to the bathroom. While I was in there, I almost got knocked over by one of those turtles. Except this kid had wings on his shell. Not only that, but I think he was upset about something."

A silent gulp came from her. "What about?"

"Don't know. He locked himself in one of the stalls. And I could've sworn I heard him crying."

 _"Chaos..."_

"Anyways, I'm here at least."

Trying to avoid her grief, Amy noticed a strange smell. She took a small whiff. "Ew, what's that smell? Are the bathrooms that dirty?"

Sonic realized Amy was referring to his... throw-up session. He cleared his throat. "Ahem, um, yeah, they kind of were. I also ate something bad, too. Hospital food really sucks."

"What did you eat here? And when?"

"Something Mario had as I got to talk with him. I decided to take a bite, and then my stomach got woozy."

"Oh, maybe that's why Mario looked sick."

"Wait... he's sick?"

"I thought you knew."

"No, I ran out to the bathroom. I didn't know what happened to him afterward."

"Well to summarize, Mario's still in bed looking very ill than he was before we admitted him here. If that hospital food was bad, this place should consider getting better chefs to make quality food for their patients."

Sonic had a good idea of the real reason why Mario must have gotten sick. He didn't eat anything tainted or spoiled. He didn't even consume anything over the past several hours. Mario was probably shocked at the fact of what he said in front of him that drove him to feel nauseous. Now he felt bad for the guy.

But again, he had to think. Did Mario _really_ say that? Why _did_ he say that? And did that mean anything whatsoever?

 _"Because you're like a brother to me!"_

"Come on. Let's head back. Peach, Cream, and Cheese are still waiting for Dr. Toadley and his workers to clean up and help Mario. I'm sure they're done by now."

Amy turned around to leave before she noticed Sonic wasn't following. He was staring down at the tiled floor.

"Sonic?"

He lifted his head in a flash. "Yeah?"

"Are you alright?" she sounded concerned.

"Sure. I'm okay."

Amy didn't buy it, but she decided to leave it there. The hedgehogs slowly made their way back to Room 310. Dr. Toadley and his staff were no longer inside. Mario was instead accompanied by the princess, the bunny, and the Chao.

When she knocked on the door, they heard Peach answer. "Come in."

They entered inside, and everyone was glad to see Sonic. Well, almost everyone.

"Mr. Sonic! There you are!" Cream said, standing on the left side of the bed.

"Chao!" Cheese cheered.

"Yep, sure am!" he forced himself to sound cheerful. At the same time, Mario kept his gaze down, looking at the bucket in his lap.

"We were wondering where you went to since I left you to visit Mario," said Peach, sitting next to him.

"He just went to the bathroom. He said he got a little sick from the hospital food Mario had," Amy explained.

Mario was confused. _"Hospital food? I didn't eat anything."_ He coughed a little.

"Are you going to throw up again?"

"No, Cream," he remained calm. "Just a little itch in my throat."

"Oh, okay. Sometimes I feel that too whenever I have to cough."

"Hey, Mario?"

"Yes, Amy?"

"What happened to your cheek?"

"My cheek? What about it?" he acted innocent about it.

"It's so red. I didn't see that before. And I don't think the Bullet Bill hit you there at all."

 _"Crap,"_ Sonic blinked.

"Since you said that, Amy, I didn't notice until now." Peach carefully looked over, placing her hand on Mario's left side. He hissed at the touch. "Oh! Sorry, Mario."

"No, you're good." He gave Sonic a small glare. Thankfully to the hedgehog, the others didn't notice it was directed towards him.

"How did you get this?"

"I don't know," he kept his eyes on him.

"Do you need some ice to cool it off?"

"No thanks, Peach. It's not a big deal, really."

"If you say so."

"Sonic..."

He sweated as he scratched his ear. "Yeah, Mario?"

"Can I talk to you alone for a minute?" Everyone stared at the red-capped man. "Please?" he added.

"Mario? Is something wrong?" Peach rubbed her hand over his.

"Is it important?" Amy tilted her head.

"Yes. And it's personal, too."

That made everyone curious, except Sonic.

"Well, we won't disrespect your privacy. We'll leave you two alone. Take as much time as you need," Peach stood up.

" _Grazie._ I appreciate it."

"I hope you feel better, Mr. Mario."

He smiled at the rabbit. "Thanks, Cream. I hope so, too."

"Chao!" Cheese sadly chirped as he gave the plumber a small hug.

He chuckled and responded by patting his head softly. "Thank you, Cheese."

Everyone left the room while Amy was the last to leave. Before she did, she gave reassurance to Sonic that Mario was okay. However, that was not the thing that lingered in his head.

Sonic heard the door click, confirming it was shut. He went over to the curtains to close the view and so that others won't look inside. He headed to Mario's bedside, sitting down in the chair Peach occupied earlier. Mario kept glaring at him. It made Sonic extremely uncomfortable.

"Dude, can you stop with that?!"

Mario shut his eyes and exhaled deeply. He looked the other way towards the window with a view of Toad Town. "Happy now?"

"No," he slouched. "So... What did you want to talk about?"

Mario didn't turn his head to look at him. "I think you know the answer to that," he muttered.

"I had a feeling you were gonna say that. Listen, Mario. I'm sorry that I slapped you and went crazy in front of you. I wasn't thinking ahead of myself, as usual."

No response came from him.

"I should've thanked you for saving me back there at Bowser's Castle. Eggman was shooting for me when I was already down and hurt, but you were courageous and daring enough to take the hit for me. And, the reason why I was furious with you was that... you reminded me of Tails when he basically did the same thing to save me."

The man still stared at the wall.

"I already mentioned how much Tails meant to me. He was my best friend. Losing him was bad enough. And since I met you, after we resolved our issues the first time around, I didn't feel as empty as I was before. You somehow filled that void for me. You were a great friend, and I wasn't. So, I take back what I said when I hit you. I hope I didn't strain our friendship because of me."

Mario closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. He set the bucket to the cabinet beside him. Sighing, he faced him with a serious look.

"Sonic, there was something about you that made me had an impulse to protect you. From what you told me about Eggman, I didn't want you to fall from him. I promised I would help you and your friends get back home, and letting you get killed was not part of the deal."

"You could've gotten yourself killed, too."

"I understand that. But I chose to save you so that Eggman wouldn't take advantage of your loss."

"The same could apply to Bowser if you were gone. No matter how you look at it, one of us was going down because of Baldy."

"I'm sorry?"

"Oh, sometimes I call him that just to tease with him. Add that with 'McNosehair' because of his stupid mustache, and it's funny every time I say it."

"I see."

"I mean, I'm saying _his_ mustache is stupid, not yours. If anything, yours is more well-groomed and cleaner than his."

"Thanks. But I think Luigi's mustache is cleaner than mine."

"He did have a nice 'stache when I met him."

Mario slightly chuckled. "Yeah, he sure does."

"But going back to what I said, one of us was gonna be stuck in that bed. It should've been me, frankly. Yet, you saved my life. And I never even thanked you for it. I still haven't, so I might as well say it now. You really did me a solid to protect me from that Bullet Bill."

"You're welcome, Sonic. I'd do anything to help my friend."

"You mean, you still think of me that way?"

"Despite what went down recently, I care about you, Sonic. I really do. You're the kind of person who's enthusiastic and knows how to make people smile."

"Heh, thanks. That's Sonic for you!"

Mario laughed again before he groaned in pain and laid back on the headrest.

"You alright, buddy?"

"I'm good. Besides that, I'm just a little tired. And a bit cold," he pulled the sheets up. "Wearing nothing but my hat, boxers, and these shorts is typically unnatural for someone like me. But with the condition I'm in, Dr. Toadley said I shouldn't wear a shirt in case I rip these bandages."

Sonic nodded his head before he shifted to the floor. "Hey, Mario?"

"Yes, Sonic?"

"Now that I answered your question, can you answer mine?"

"Sure. What do you want to ask?"

"When you said I was like a brother to you, did you really mean that? Is that how you feel?"

Mario's smile faded away as he aimlessly gazed at the ceiling. He might as well tell him the truth.

"After we met Luigi and Tails from the Overthere, I started to have these growing feelings as we kept each other company. And as what a brother should do, I wanted to help you as much as I can. By the time we got to Bowser's Castle, I looked after your back, and vice versa. We worked together to fight those Koopas and rescue your friends before the whole incident with Eggman's gun...

"And as much as that reminded you of Tails saving you, it gave me a horrible flashback to when I was in that position against Bowser. When I wasn't able to move, I felt weak. I felt helpless. I wasn't at full strength to get out of the way and defeat him. He seemed to outmatch me for the first time after so many defeats. He was ready to kill me, until Luigi pushed me out of the way. And, I lost him in my life. I lost my connection with him. I lost a part of my heart since he has been with me from the very beginning. We were inseparable until then...

"When I saw you down on the bridge, Eggman looked so intent on ending your game. I made the initiative to protect you. Even though you're younger than me, I don't really think of you as a little brother because you've had experience as the older one. Regardless, I truly had feelings that you were like the brother I never had. We're quite different in our own ways, but we also have so much in common. And I felt true to stick by your side until the day you return to your home...

"And... that's why I felt that way, and that's why I yelled that in front of you. I... I like you, Sonic. Not just as a friend, but as a brother, too."

Sonic was astonished. Other than Tails (and sometimes Amy), no one has truly said something so humble and generous that touched his heart. Mario's speech penetrated through his tough yet outgoing demeanor. He was moved by said feelings.

"Mario... I... I don't know what to say."

"You don't have to say anything. Except, if you're not comfortable with that, we can still stick to us just being friends. I don't mind at all. Either way, I hope that answers your question."

"Yeah, it did. And as for your statement, I'll think about it."

"That's okay. I understand."

A minute of silence went by. Sonic remained in the chair while Mario laid back on his pillow. The moon in the sky shined a light through the window. The heart monitor beeped at a regular rate.

"If you want, you can head back to Peach and your friends. In the meantime, you can head back to the castle and sleep for the night like yesterday. Besides, I'm probably not going to leave this place in less than two weeks."

He hesitated for a second. "Actually, um..."

"Yeah, Sonic?"

"I don't mind staying here for tonight. I can keep you company if you want."

Mario blinked. "Would you want to?"

"I... Yeah, I would."

A soft smile appeared from Mario's lips. "Okay, Sonic. Thanks."

The Blue Blur mirrored his grin. "Anytime."

"I can scooch over to give you some room to lie down. Because if you're gonna sleep here, I don't think the chair is the best option."

"You sure? I mean, the bed doesn't look too big. And I don't want to get caught in those wires and machines that are attached to you."

"I guess so. Maybe I can ask Dr. Toadley to bring in a mattress or something in here."

"That'd be nice."

Mario pressed a button on a control panel next to him. In just a few seconds, the blue-masked Toad entered inside.

"You need something, Mario?"

"Yes. Can you please offer Sonic an extra bed or a blow-up mattress for him to sleep on?"

"I presume you want to stay with him, am I correct?"

"If you're okay with that," Sonic shrugged.

"Will I accept it? Anything for a friend of Mario's. I'll let one my staff members supply you with an extra bed to rest on."

"Also, are Peach and Sonic's friends still here? Because you can tell them that they could go back to the castle and visit us tomorrow morning. I wouldn't mind if they left. Besides, Toadsworth is probably worried sick of the princess."

"Will I address that to Her Highness and the others? It would be my pleasure. I will also conduct another checkup tomorrow to see how you're faring from your injuries."

"Thank you, Dr. Toadley."

"I wish you a good night's sleep, sirs."

"Good night to you, too," Mario replied.

"Thanks again, Doc," Sonic added.

Toadley nodded in acknowledgment and departed the room. Peach, Amy, Cream, and Cheese were told of the situation and decided to give their goodbyes before leaving the hospital. A nurse entered Mario's room to provide Sonic a hospital bed, a blanket, and a pillow for himself. After thanking her, she turned off the lights and closed the door.

The hedgehog got himself comfortable while Mario did the same.

"Good night, Sonic," said Mario.

"You too, Mario. And I hope you feel better soon."

" _Grazie_ ," he yawned before closing his eyes.

Sonic remained awake for a while, staring at Mario before he laid on his back to face the ceiling. Putting his hands behind his quills, he thought back to Mario's genuine response. And as he went to sleep, he thought one last phrase, directed at the red-hatted Italian.

 _"Good night, bro."_

 ** _END OF CHAPTER_**

* * *

 _Luigi and Tails met with Grambi to question the reason why they witnessed Mario's act of defense to save Sonic from Eggman's attack. But the Nimbi ruler is apparently hiding the true reason it was developed in the first place, leaving the two perplexed and curious. What exactly is the purpose of the so-called Sibling Signal?_

 _After another heated moment between our red and blue heroes, they're back on friendly terms. Mario views Sonic as a brother, but the latter didn't seem to reciprocate the same feeling. (Or did he? *Wink, wink.) Other than that, until Mario recovers, what will their future lead to next? Find out next time in Ch. 21 of New Brotherhood. Now for the bad news..._

 _I'm going to be busy for the next couple of months as I need to focus on finishing my spring semester. Immediately following that, I will be starting my rotations, which will last for a month. Since I still need to finish my first story, Hidden Bravery (which is nearly done), I'll do my best to complete it before I begin my rotations. Unfortunately, as for my other stories, this one and Revengeful Resistance, I decided to put them on hiatus as of this update. (I have already explained this in the latest chapter of RR, too.) I'll have to figure out when I can resume writing these fanfics, but it won't happen for a while. Once I get back, they'll be my top priorities over the summer. I apologize in advance, but I hope you all understand my dilemma. Please review for your thoughts or anything I should improve/edit, follow/favorite for more updates in the future, and I hope to see you guys soon. Thank you for your support. This is TGN, signing off._

* * *

 ** _Post-Chapter Notes:_**

 ** _(1):_** _This note is more on a personal level instead of being a piece of trivia or an interesting detail. This scenario is something related to me back in my childhood when I was diagnosed with asthma. Long story short, based on the condition I was in, I received an incision on my body and had to suffer instances of pain throughout the entire operation. Thankfully, it was successful. Otherwise, I wouldn't have made it this far into life, and I probably wouldn't be here today writing this and my other stories. And of course, thanks to you kind reviewers, followers, and readers in all, you are giving me the passion and drive to continue. I sincerely appreciate it._


	22. Ch 21: Bonding Through Music

_A/N:_ **_"Welcome back!"_** _~The Flying Dutchman ( SpongeBob SquarePants: Episode 33a from Season 2: **'Shanghaied'** ); I'll never get tired of quoting this line._

 _Okay, in all seriousness, thank you SO much for waiting on this story as it's been nearly two months since I last wrote something for New Brotherhood. I want to thank FairyTalePrincess16, Steel Fairy, ShinyToast, prowerboy, and most of all, Infinite's Ruby for reviewing since I last posted. Best of all, because of her and everyone else, this story is very close to 100 reviews! __I have a great feeling I might achieve this by the time this gets uploaded._

 _Not only that, but back when I was finishing my spring semester, this fanfic reached the **10,000 view** mark! And just recently, it's over **11K**! Thank you everyone for reading and reviewing!_

 _Our heroes have been through so much drama and pain for quite a while. I think it's time we take a break from all that and have a chapter that's mostly lighthearted, yet emotional._

* * *

 _Disclaimer:_ _Want to see me file a disclaimer here? Want to see me do it again?_

* * *

 **Chapter 21:** Bonding Through Music

The next morning wasn't much of a hassle compared to the previous night when Dr. Toadley and his staff had to take care of Mario's injuries. The plumber was well rested enough to sit up and open his eyes without struggling.

Feeling better, Mario yawned and stretched his arms out to the side. He scratched his back and adjusted his hat. Later, he peered over to his right to see the hedgehog still sleeping. He chuckled. Sonic had his arm and leg hanging over the edge of his bed while his mouth was wide open. He let a loud snore as well. Mario had to think. If he snored like that all night long, how the hell did he manage to sleep through that? Mario shrugged and shook it off.

Then, he heard a knock on his door. It slowly opened as Dr. Toadley and a Toadette nurse entered quietly.

"Good morning, Mario," the nurse greeted him with a soft voice. It was the same one who gave Sonic the extra bed.

"Good morning to you, too, Toadina," Mario whispered back as he smiled. "Dr. Toadley," he also acknowledged.

"I presume you had a good night's sleep, yes?"

"I sure did, Doctor. Thanks again for taking care of me."

"Is it my pleasure? Absolutely. And why are we here now? We just need to perform another checkup to update your progress."

"We just hope we're not here too early since your friend's still asleep. We don't want to make so much noise."

"Oh no, I think you're fine. But I agree. We shouldn't try to be loud for a while."

The medics went through the usual procedure to check on Mario's health status. So far, some parts of his body had gradually healed overnight. Nonetheless, he hissed whenever he felt a twinge. It was mostly his chest that hardly had any progression.

"Hmm... Toadina," Dr. Toadley addressed the nurse, "Can you prepare a remedy for Mario?"

"Sure, doctor. What should I get for him?"

"Let me think. What's something decent to start off?" The doctor snapped his fingers. "Make a dose of Mushroom Tea with a hint of Honey Syrup. How much, if you're wondering? Five milliliters for twice a day; one dose in the morning, and one at night before bedtime."

"Right away, sir. I'll be back soon, Mario," said Toadina before she quietly left.

"Now, what should I examine next? Your eyes, perhaps?"

Dr. Toadley continued by using an otoscope, shining a light in his eyes. There were no signs of swollenness compared to his chest, and they appeared to be normal without any problems. His ears were clean, not that they were affected by the Bullet Bill at all. Still, the doctor observed everything that could be wrong. Arms were still receiving blood since he lost some on the way home last night. Neither that nor his legs were broken, so it wasn't necessary to give him a cast. To reiterate, the only major problem was his torso. Based on an x-ray Dr. Toadley scanned, behind Mario's bandages were some broken ribs and a fractured sternum. The rest had some damage, but it wasn't as severe.

"So, is there anything new I should know?" asked Mario.

"Is there anything new?" he repeated to make sure he heard the question right. "At the moment, no. Has the time recovery changed? Not particularly. I still foresee at least two weeks in the bed until your ribs are fully repaired. But if at all you need to use the restroom or head somewhere with reason though, I'll have Toadina or any other available nurses to escort you. Of course, we'll be extra careful to avoid aggravating your wounds."

Mario nodded. "Actually, speaking of that, can I use the bathroom now?"

"Do you have my permission? Yes, you do. But who will watch over you? Since Toadina's busy, I'll go."

Mario playfully rolled his eyes because Dr. Toadley liked answering his own questions, even when he's supervising and interacting with his patients. He's gotten used to it over the years. Dr. Toadley removed some wires from the machines while the IV stand for the blood transfusion remained in his left arm. Mario carefully removed the sheets and shifted his legs to dangle off the edge of his bed. With Toadley's help, the patient stepped on the floor and wheeled the stand towards the door.

After exiting, Sonic stirred from the sound of a click. He breathed in deeply and groaned while he stretched his arms. Rubbing his eyes, Sonic groggily looked around. He realized he wasn't in Peach's Castle.

"Oh, yeah... That's right..." he rubbed his head. "I'm in the hospital. Because I wanted to Mar-"

He paused when he saw an empty bed beside him. The machines and wires were there other than a missing IV. But his friend was not there, too.

"Mario? Mario? Wait. Why am I calling from here?" He got out of his bed quickly and scurried out to the hallway. "Mario! Where are you?!"

A Toad with blue dots heard his yell. He came up to him. "Mr. Sonic," he addressed.

"Just call me Sonic. The 'Mr.' part isn't necessary."

"My apologies. But I did hear that you're looking for Mario, right?"

"Yeah, I am. Have you seen him? He was supposed to be in bed for the next two weeks. Then all of a sudden, he's gone."

The Toad held a hand up. "Don't worry, Sonic. I saw him walking over to the restrooms with Dr. Toadley. He's awake and trying to hold his own. But the doctor needed to be within eyesight to make sure nothing bad happens."

Sonic let out a small sigh of relief. "Okay. Thanks for letting me know."

The blue Toad grinned. "Anytime."

The hedgehog returned to Room 310. He sat on his bed before he laid down on his side, his hand supporting his head. He thought for a second. His reaction to when Mario went missing was worrisome, which he hardly showed. Searching for him was somewhat overprotective of him, too. Although they were friends, Mario's speech on his fraternal feelings stuck to him. It was almost as if he wanted to look after him. Kind of like Mario when he protected him at Bowser's Castle. Kind of like how he always looked after Tails before... the incident.

He slightly jumped when he heard a knock on the door. "Who is it?"

"It's us, Sonic," he heard Amy.

He answered the door and gave a grin when he saw the pink hedgehog. Peach, Cream, and Cheese were with her as well. "Morning, Ames."

"Hi, Sonic," she gave him a gentle hug. "Did you sleep well last night?"

"Sure did, thanks for asking. How are the rest of you?"

"It was great!" Cream replied. "The princess and the Toads at the castle were very nice to us to make us feel like we're at home."

"Chao!" Cheese agreed.

"That's good to hear. Come on in," he gestured.

"Hey, Sonic. Where's Mario?" Peach wondered.

"Oh, he went to the bathroom."

Peach tilted her head. "I thought he couldn't get out of bed."

"One of the Toads said Dr. Toadley was looking after him. He must have helped him get on his feet for that reason. They did when I was still asleep, too."

"Oh, I see. Hopefully he's better than how he was yesterday."

"I'm sure he's healing well," Sonic waved it off. But deep down, he did feel a little concerned. He then saw Peach holding onto something. He wondered why he didn't notice it before. "Hey, isn't that Mario's guitar?"

"Oh, yes, it is. Last night before I left the clinic, Mario requested if I could bring it to him this morning. I guess he just wants to do something if he's going to be taken care of for a while."

He nodded his head. "I can relate to him. I never want to sit around and do nothing all day, even it means playing some music. Which I usually do when I sit down... Um... You get my point."

Peach giggled. "I understand. Your friends and I had a nice discussion about you, and they've told me about your sense of adventure."

"Heh, it's true! If I'm not lazing around, I'm almost up and running for some high speed thrills. Or putting a stop to Eggman's stupid plans."

Amy frowned when he mentioned that. "Yeah, but he almost got you last night. I would've worried sick if you got stuck in the hospital because of him!"

Sonic sighed. "Yeah, you're right. I had to thank Mario for saving my butt back then. But to be honest, he didn't deserve to take the hit."

"So you rather let yourself get hurt?"

"Well, what was I supposed to do? My leg was stinging from the dart, so I couldn't get up in time to dodge that Bullet Bill. At least it's healed right now after the doctors gave me an ice pack and some gauze to wrap around it. If Mario wasn't there for me, that was my only choice to take."

"But you're alright, Mr. Sonic! Is that right?"

"Don't worry, Cream," he kneeled in front of the rabbit, placing a hand to reassure her. "I'm a-okay!" he gave a thumbs-up and winked.

"I just hope Mario's still alright," Peach stared at the floor.

They all heard the door open and saw Mario and Dr. Toadley walk inside the room.

The Toad doctor chuckled. "Oh-ho! Who do we have here? Why, none other than the princess and the blue hedgehog's friends! Welcome back to the Toadley Clinic."

"Good morning, Doctor," Peach curtsied. "Good morning, Mario."

The red-capped man smiled. "Morning, Peach. Great to see you."

Peach gave him a small peck on the cheek, causing his cheeks to flush red. She snickered at his reaction. "Here's your guitar, Mario."

"Oh, thank you! But you can hand to me when I'm back in bed."

"That's probably a good idea."

As Mario rolled the IV stand to the side, Dr. Toadley helped Mario onto the bed. Sonic and the others asked to assist him, but Toadley kindly denied yet appreciated them for their offer. He reattached the machines' wires to Mario as he got comfortable. Once he was situated, Dr. Toadley took his leave and said goodbye to the party. Peach handed Mario his guitar and pick.

" _Grazie_ again." He strummed the strings once to get a feeling of the musical vibes. "Feels great to be playing this again."

"That reminds me," Sonic thought, "I've gotten a chance to try it out in front of you. You never played guitar in front of me though."

"I wouldn't mind if I played right now."

"Yeah, go ahead, Mario!" Amy urged.

"I want to listen, too!" Cream grabbed the bed's railing and jumped up and down in excitement.

"Chao Chao!" Cheese eagerly held onto Cream's shoulder.

Mario took a few seconds before he began with another small strum. He picked up the notes and chords slowly. Then, he increased his tempo by a few extra beats per minute. Nonetheless, it was more of a soft, slow melody. At one point, Mario transitioned to playing a small tune from _Super Mario Bros._ Peach recognized this piece as a bit of nostalgia, reminiscing of the very first time when Mario and Luigi rescued her from Bowser's Castle. It was the day that changed their lives as they became friends and as she became closer with the older brother. And of course, she'll never forget about the man in green for the right reasons.

Amy clasped her hands together and slightly tilted her head as she fell in love with Mario's music. She thought Sonic was a bit better (not biased), but Mario was really good, too. Cream and Cheese also liked the sounds he was playing. Sonic casually laid his back against the wall with his arms and legs crossed. His foot tapped along to the beat. The smirk on his muzzle was a sign that he was enjoying his friend's performance.

He finished one last note before he put his guitar down. Sonic walked over and playfully punched his shoulder.

"You really killed it, dude. You said that I'm better than you. But after hearing you play, I think you're wrong."

Mario was humbled by Sonic's comment. "Thank you, Sonic. But, I really do think that you're a more talented guitarist than me."

"Come on, man. Don't be so modest. I'm being honest. If you're not better than me, then you're at least on the same level."

"I appreciate the compliment."

"Yeah, Mario. I thought you were terrific there as well," Amy told him.

"I think so, too. You were really good!" said Cream.

"Chao!"

"Thanks, guys. I appreciate your thoughts as well."

"Is there anything else you would like, Mario?" Peach questioned.

He shook his head. "No, this is all I wanted. Thank you for bringing it though."

"No problem, Mario."

"Are you guys going to stay here?" Sonic inquired.

"We would love to, but I actually promised Amy, Cream, and Cheese to give them a tour of Toad Town. That way, they can get to know the place and the neighboring regions here in the Mushroom Kingdom. And maybe that will help you guys find the Chaos Emeralds to bring you home."

"Oh, my. I almost forgot about the Emeralds," Amy realized. "Didn't you grab one last night, Sonic?"

The blue hedgehog ruffled a hand in his quills. He took out the cyan Chaos Emerald. "Still got it from those weird guys at Bowser's Castle."

"From Larry and the Elite Trio," Mario recalled. "At least that means we got two of them."

"Wait, you guys have two?"

"Well, technically Mario's friend is holding onto one since he found it earlier. He's using it to build a portal to our home."

"Who is your friend?" Cream asked.

"His name is Professor Elvin Gadd, or E. Gadd for short. He helped my brother Luigi rescue me from an evil ghost king."

"Hold on. In the dungeon, that big turtle creep mentioned something about your brother. But he was kind of vague about it."

Amy's comment made Mario's heart skip a beat, which was somehow detected on the monitor. Sonic and Peach expressed sympathetic frowns as they stared at Mario who looked down at his instrument for a second.

"Um, did I say something wrong, Mario?"

"Oh no, Amy. Nothing's wrong."

"Are you sure?"

Mario tried to reassure her. "Really, it's okay."

"Is your brother here, Mr. Mario?"

Mario paused. He then tried to hold his own without breaking down. He raised his hand, clenched it into a fist, and coughed. He kept it there for several seconds while he blinked. As he composed himself, he shivered as he answered Cream's question.

"He's... not here..."

"Oh, is he busy in another place?"

Mario wasn't sure if he should answer. Sonic looked apprehensive. He would've felt the same way if he was in his shoes.

"Oh, how do I put this? Um... If I offend you, I'm terribly sorry. But... Sonic has told me about your friend, Tails, and how he... you know."

Cream, Amy, and Cheese listened intently as they waited for him to continue.

"Well... the way Tails went away was somewhat similar to what my brother experienced."

Amy suddenly found out what Mario said. She had an epiphany of Bowser briefly mentioning the one line where he and Eggman were planning to get rid of Mario and Sonic, in addition to their 'little brothers'. She covered her hand over her mouth.

"Oh no... You don't mean..."

Mario sighed despondently. "My younger brother, Luigi... isn't here. Like Tails, he's gone."

Cream and Cheese got the message and were sorrowful for the red hero. The bunny sauntered up to him with an apologetic look on her face. "I'm very sorry, Mr. Mario."

He calmly rubbed her hand. "It's okay, Cream. Really. It's just somewhat hard to move on, but I know for a fact that he's up there looking down on me. And if he's happy there, then I'll be happy in here," he pointed at his own heart. "Nonetheless, I appreciate your concern, and I'm sorry for your loss, too."

Sniffling with watering eyes, Cream got up and wrapped her arms around Mario's neck. He was a bit surprised, but he warmly returned the gesture.

"And don't worry, we'll get you home soon. You can count on that."

"Thanks, Mr. Mario. I hope you feel better soon."

"I hope so, too. Thanks."

After breaking apart, Amy came up to him next. "Mario, I just want to thank you again for saving us and for helping Sonic. We owe you our gratitude."

"Don't mention it, Amy. Anything for Sonic and you."

"Um, you don't mind if we leave, do you?"

"Not at all. Peach made a promise to you three, so it's best for her to fulfill it."

The princess followed by walking over to Mario on the other side of the bed. "Don't hesitate to talk to me if you need anything, Mario."

"I won't. Thank you, Peach."

"Get well soon," she kissed his cheek once more. "We'll see you guys later."

"Alright. See ya then," Sonic waved at them.

"Bye, Sonic. Bye, Mario," Cream and Amy replied.

"Chao..." Cheese added.

As Peach, Amy, Cream, and Cheese left, Sonic and Mario remained in the room. The hedgehog opted to sit in the chair next to Mario rather than to return to his bed.

"So, what are you going to do now?"

Mario shrugged. "I was just going to play a few songs by myself. I can let you have another turn if you want."

"I wouldn't mind that. By the way, what kind of music do you like?"

He pondered for a second. "As a background, my diversity to music has varied throughout generations, from the olden days to today's pop culture. I've gotten used to all kinds of genres and instruments, but I'm more of a big fan when it comes to the classical hits."

"Not bad. I'm more of a rock and pop kind of guy myself. But similar to you, I'm cool with the other types."

"Interesting. Say, have you thought about Toadette's offer to participate in the Mushroom City Concert?"

"Oh, I almost forgot about that until you brought it up. I'm actually not sure. What's your opinion?"

"I would like to see you perform. That is, if you're comfortable with that."

"Me? Comfortable? Heh, I'm usually laid back when it comes to a ton of things, but playing music in front of a large crowd probably isn't one."

"Maybe you just need practice."

"Practice on music?"

"No, I mean, performing in front of people. You did with me and Toadette a couple days ago. Maybe you can start off slow by playing in front of me only. Then, you can rehearse it in front of more people, like how I did it with you, Peach, and your friends in the same room."

"Hmm... I guess that's not a bad idea at all. If I'm going to take the opportunity, I should figure out what I should play."

"I can help you if you want."

"Alright! Even if this is what we'll do for the next two weeks, I'll be glad to spend it with you."

Mario looked at Sonic for a second. "You really mean that?"

"Definitely!" Sonic showed off his signature smile with his teeth. "I'm sure we'll have a great time to brainstorm and practice. And once you're on your feet again, we can go find the rest of the Chaos Emeralds."

"Sounds like a plan," Mario beamed back.

For the next several hours, Mario and Sonic talked about songs from the past and the present, comparing and contrasting their favorite aspects on music. At the same time, they each took turns strumming Mario's guitar to start off with a melody and tried to think of some lyrics to complement the rhythm. Albeit, it was a challenge for them to construct something original. Regardless, they were both having a great time together. And it stuck like that as the red and blue heroes bonded closely in each other's company. **_(1)_**

 ** _END OF CHAPTER_**

* * *

 _It looks like Sonic and Mario have grown a bit closer since the latter committed his fraternal feelings for the hedgehog. We'll see how things go for them later on. Next time, we'll take a look at Knuckles, Silver, and the rest of their gang to catch up on their progress. Also, Bowser and Eggman will be arranging their plans for retaliation against Mario and Sonic._

 _Anyways, that'll do it for this segment of New Brotherhood. Please review down below, follow/favorite for more, and I'll see you in Ch. 22! This is TGN, signing off._

* * *

 ** _Post-Chapter Notes:_**

 ** _(1):_** _Brief spoiler, I actually planned out something for Sonic to perform. It is based on an actual song while the lyrics were slightly rewritten by me so that the meaning behind it relates to him and his life._


	23. Ch 22: Warping Gone Wrong

_A/N: I apologize for another long delay. __Frankly, I've been developing some writer's block as I composed this chapter. As soon as I'm done with Hidden Bravery, I want this story to be my top priority since it's my second project that I've worked on. Nonetheless, I'll try to keep updating Revengeful Resistance whenever I can. I hope I didn't make anyone wait too long for this._

 _And man, I can't thank all of you readers enough. That's because New Brotherhood has reached **100+ reviews**. For a story in the Mario  & Sonic crossover section, I'm extremely grateful that you've made this story bigger than I imagined. Even through all the heartbreak and drama, it's been quite a ride, and I'm nowhere close to being done. Whether you have reviewed every chapter, a couple here and there, or even left just one on this fanfic, you have my humble thanks for leaving such great feedback and constructive criticism to help me continue. With all due respect, you guys are awesome._

 _Finally, Happy Birthday, Sonic! Now, let's get back to the adventure!_

* * *

 _Disclaimer: This story is the only thing that I take credit for. I don't own Mario or Sonic whatsoever._

* * *

 **Chapter 22:** Warping Gone Wrong

 _Location: Bowser's Castle_

Streams of lava flowed down the rocky slopes of the many mountains and volcanoes, going into the moat that surrounded the Koopa King's humongous fortress. And the smell of that lava caught the senses of a certain someone.

A gruff moan escaped the individual's mouth before he tried to stand up. He pushed his somewhat weak hands off the ground, despite the fact he's one of the strongest people out there. He blinked repeatedly as he took in the view.

"What the?"

As he saw nothing but dark clouds, rushing lava, and occasional lightning, he immediately became frustrated.

"You can't be serious. Silver goes out with some plan to transport us to some random place, and we end up somewhere else far from what he described. What the heck is the place? And where's everybody else?"

After standing up, he turned around and found a few people lying on the rocky ground. A purple chameleon laid nearby him while a green crocodile and a yellow and black-furred bee were not too far away. All their bodies were resting in front of the large door.

"Vector. Espio. Charmy," he called out to them. But none of them responded. "Guys, come on, wake up."

He went over to each of them and tried shaking their shoulders. Still, they remained in their lying positions.

"Chaos, this is bad. And where are the others? Silver? Shadow? Blaze? Rouge?"

He couldn't find the bat, the cat, or any of the hedgehogs. There was also no sign of Sonic, Amy, Cream, and Cheese.

Just then, the entrance to the castle opened up. "Who are you?"

The animal looked over at the person who asked him. "I'm Knuckles. Who are you?"

It was another creature who wore a blue wizard's hat and robe, a pair of glass spectacles, and held a golden scepter with a red jewel protruding out the top. "My name is Kamek. What are exactly are you supposed to be?"

"I'm an echidna. And I suppose you're some weird turtle with a funny looking cape and hat."

"Excuse me, but I am what most people call me a Koopa. More specifically, a Magikoopa. To add more detail, I am one of King Bowser's top apprentices who watches over the Koopa Klan and its kingdom."

"Koopas? That's what you call yourselves? Are you sure you aren't just plain turtles?"

"Insolence," Kamek shook his head. "What business do you have here?"

"I'm here on a mission to bring someone back to our home planet."

"Bring someone back?"

"I'm looking for Sonic the Hedgehog."

The name registered in the Magikoopa's brain for a few seconds. When he finally realized, he began an convincing lie. "Sonic... the Hedgehog? Why, that's convenient."

"You mean you saw him?"

"Yes, I have."

"Where is he?"

"First and foremost, how about I wake up your friends for you?"

"Yeah, that'd be nice, actually."

"Alright. Give me some time and room to concentrate." Kamek opened up his left claw while conjuring up his magic with the wand in the other hand. With a spell composed of different shapes and colors, he waved them over each member of the Chaotix. The floating objects sunk into their bodies. And soon after, the three began to stir.

"Augh, Chaos, my head hurts," Espio grunted.

Vector shook his head and waited until his eyesight was restored. "Huh? Where are we?"

Charmy awkwardly fluttered in the air. "This doesn't look like the world Silver talked about."

"No, it's not."

"Knuckles! Boy, are we glad to see you!" Vector felt a bit relieved.

"What is this place?" Espio wondered.

"You're in a region known as Dark Land, which is also known as the resting area of King Bowser's Castle," Kamek answered.

"King Bowser?"

"Is he a royal leader?"

Knuckles rolled his eyes at Charmy. "He wouldn't be called 'king' for a reason."

"He's the ruler of this Koopa Kingdom, looking after our troops which consists of various types of Koopas and other underlings who have joined our legion. They range from Magikoopas like me, to the Hammer Bros. Battalion, the toughest Koopatrols, and many more."

"And who exactly are you?" the chameleon pointed at the small, blue-robed magician.

"My name is Kamek, one of the many important advisors to the Koopa King. "

"Apparently this guy knows where Sonic is," Knuckles told them.

"You do?"

"As a matter of fact, yes." Kamek knew the _real_ location of where the blue hedgehog was, but he didn't want them to know. That's why it's called an act of manipulation. "Follow me this way."

The echidna was about to enter the castle until Vector called his name. "Wait a second, Knuckles. Can we even trust this guy? I mean, we've never seen anyone like him before."

"So? He's a talking animal, just like all of us."

"But didn't Silver say we were supposed to travel to a peaceful kingdom?" Charmy scratched his noggin. "A place with green grass, sunshine, mushrooms, and people with dots on their heads? Whatever he meant by that."

"I have to agree with him. It seemed like Chaos Control sent us to the wrong area, and we should probably question the reason why it sent us here," Espio crossed his arms.

"It could be by chance or on accident," Vector thought.

Knuckles grumbled to himself. "I told Silver and the others that I didn't want to risk using the Master Emerald because something like _this_ would happen. But if means that Sonic is here, then we should take advantage of this opportunity to bring him back."

"Even so," Espio interjected, "I'm unsure if we can trust this... Koopa. That's what he said, right?"

"He's a Magikoopa," Charmy corrected.

"Like it makes a difference," grunted Knuckles. "Look, we might as well go inside. If he's here, then we can take him and get the heck out of here. If not, then we'll search elsewhere in this world."

Reluctantly, the Chaotix walked behind Knuckles as they caught up to the wizard. They slowly made their around the ninety-degree corners of the corridors. The four noticed how most of the interior consisted of statues of the large Koopa's face.

"So, does the king even look like that?" Charmy inspected one from up close.

"Typically, yes," Kamek responded.

"So, where did you last see Sonic?" Vector asked as he gazed at the walls.

"He's been taken to our dungeon in the castle's basement."

"You mean you captured him?" Knuckles clenched his namesakes.

"To be honest, he broke into the castle without hesitation. He was trying to find some friends of his," Kamek told the truth.

"Wait. Are you talking about Amy, Cream, and Cheese?"

Kamek looked back at Espio, but he continued down the long hallway. "A pink, yet impetuous female hedgehog with both a large hammer and a huge temper. A young, innocent, cream-furred bunny with a high-pitched voice. And a peculiar, light blue creature who can only speak a single word. Do these descriptions ring any bells?"

"Yeah! That's them! They're friends of both Sonic and us!" Vector appeared relieved.

"I see," Kamek had a hint of marvel in his voice. "Anyways, the dungeon should be close by."

As they made their way to the descending staircase, Bowser Jr. was walking towards them.

"Hey, Kamek, how long is Papa gonna be back on his feet?"

"In due time, young Master. Even though I know that both of you are very impatient, it will take a while for him to recover from his most recent fight."

" _Sigh_ , alright. Just wanted to know. Hey, who are these creeps?"

"Who you calling a creep?" retorted Vector.

"All four of you. None of you look like Koopas or anyone from the troop."

"They are some special guests, Jr. Now if you'll excuse me, I have an important errand to complete."

"An errand? What about?"

"It's nothing, really," he tried to dismiss the topic.

"But you said it's important. And why are you leading them to the basement? The prisoners-"

"-are still there," Kamek interrupted. "And yes, they're here to visit them," he added with a bit of frustration.

"What? But they-"

"Jr., I baked some more cookies in the kitchen. They're probably done by now. Why don't you go over there right now and check?"

"Really?! Awesome! Out of my way, dorks!" Jr. pushed Espio, Knuckles, and Vector aside. Charmy ascended a couple of inches away as they watched the young Koopa sprint down the hall from which they came from.

They looked back at Kamek who shook his head. "I didn't bake anything. I just needed him to leave."

"No offense, but is he always that rude and obnoxious?" Vector asked the Magikoopa.

"Sometimes he's a handful. He gets it from his father back in the past."

"Hold on. So, he's the son of the Koopa King?" Kamek nodded at Knuckles. "That means he's the prince, or the heir to this kingdom, right?"

"Technically, that is correct. However, he is the youngest member of the family. The rest of the family tree consists of seven special Koopalings that Bowser adopted to be part of the Koopa Troop. And in the case where Master Bowser steps down or falls as the leader, all of them would be in line of the throne. Jr. would still be the first in line ahead of the Koopalings because he's part of the royal bloodline. Nevertheless, he must prove to be a responsible leader since he can be immature to handle such a huge role."

"I definitely could see the immature part."

"Then, who's the Koopa Queen?" questioned Espio.

Kamek fidgeted with his spectacles. "That's a whole different story that I don't want to explain whatsoever."

"Why not? Is it personal?" Charmy asked.

"I think 'complicated' is a more appropriate term. Anyways..."

Kamek strolled down the stone steps before entering the large room where the Koopatrol guards, Tom and Ken, originally stood guard before Sonic walloped them. Two new Koopas in spiky armor took their place and acknowledged the Magikoopa.

"Guards, please open the doors to the dungeon. Our special guests are here to meet the ones who are in there."

The Koopatrols followed his command and pushed the doors open. They closed them after the group entered inside.

"Sure is dark in here," Charmy was a bit nervous.

"It's supposed to be dark, except for the lit torches here," Kamek clarified.

What Knuckles and the Chaotix didn't know was that Amy, Cream, and Cheese were originally imprisoned down here until Mario, Peach, and Sonic helped them escape. And the four were under the impression that the Blue Blur was captured there with the others. However, Kamek came across some new faces, one of which looked like Sonic only with a different coat of fur. Not even Jr. knew about this, which was why Kamek drifted away from the conversation earlier.

By the time they approached the farthest cell, Vector, Espio, Charmy, and Knuckles were astonished.

"Shadow?"

"Rouge?"

"Blaze?"

"Silver?"

Kamek used his magic to transport the four into the prison. He wasn't going to gamble the possibility that one of the others was going to come right at him with a surprise attack.

Knuckles became enraged and shook the bars. "Hey! What's the big deal?! Where's Sonic?!"

"You mean you don't know where he is, either?" Silver asked.

"No. This guy told us he was down here in the dungeon," answered Vector.

Shadow rolled his eyes. "Well, you idiots got duped."

"It's not our fault! We didn't know!" Charmy defended.

"Since you all seem to know each other, why don't you reacquaint and make yourselves at home?"

"It doesn't feel like home when we warped to a new world and immediately get thrown into jail," Blaze huffed.

"Are you gonna let us out soon? Or are we expected to rot here?" Rouge put a hand on her hip.

"I'm going to speak to my lord to explain this situation I've come across. It's weird, actually. I feel like I'm experiencing déjà vu."

"What does that supposed to mean?" Espio raised an eyebrow.

"That's none of your business." Kamek seemed to notice something strange. "What's that light?"

The animals looked around to see what the Magikoopa was referring to. Silver seem to notice, but he tried to play it cool. "I don't know what you're talking about. All I see is fire on the torches."

"No, I see a white light, coming from the black hedgehog."

They all turned to Shadow. "What? I don't see anything."

"That's what I'm saying," Silver continued to lie. "There's nothing to see here."

Blaze saw why her friend was doing that. "Um, yeah. I don't know what you're talking about."

"Don't act oblivious in front of me. I see something shining behind him, and the light is reflecting against the back wall."

"You sure it isn't some kind of magic trick? I mean, you did show us that when you teleported us inside," said Espio.

Kamek expressed frustration from behind his glasses.

"Wait a second! Are you talking about _this_?" Charmy grabbed something from Shadow's quill.

"You idiot!" Shadow chastised with a low, harsh tone. Everyone tried to hide their irritation, but Knuckles facepalmed, Vector and Espio rolled their eyes, and Silver and Blaze shook their heads with their eyes closed.

Kamek saw the bee holding a shining gem. "What is that?"

"Nothing. It's just a piece of jewelry that I found earlier. I asked Shadow to hold onto it for me," Rouge fibbed, giving a small glare at Charmy.

"Oops," he replied embarrassingly.

"Hand it to me," the Magikoopa demanded.

Shadow snatched the Chaos Emerald back from the flying insect. "It's ours, meaning we're not going to give it to you."

Kamek wasn't surprised at the Black Blur. Just like Amy, Cream, and Cheese, the magician found him, Silver, Rouge, and Blaze in one of the hallways. When he first met Shadow, he was unmoving and difficult to engage with because of his attitude. It was also one of the reasons why they were taken to the underground prison. That, and the fact they (unintentionally) encroached their property.

He decided to use his magic again to get a hold of the Emerald from his hands. Shadow's grip proved to be a struggle for Kamek, but the latter showed no signs of disturbance.

"Don't try to fight it," Shadow tested.

"I'm not. You know... You seem particularly weak for a hedgehog like yourself."

Shadow narrowed his eyes at him. "I'll show you what's weak. It's your useless magic."

"He's just trying to get into your head. Don't listen to him," whispered Rouge.

"There's also the fact that you barely look similar to a certain blue hedgehog who came by."

"Are you trying to lie to us again? You told us that Sonic was here, and he isn't," growled Knuckles.

"Oh, that's partially the truth," Kamek maintained his stare at Shadow and the gem. "Sonic _was_ here, indeed."

"Wait, so you've seen him? In this castle?" Silver blinked.

"And he happened to save his friends who I initially held inside this same prison."

"So, Amy, Cream, and Cheese were also in here, too?" Blaze widened her eyes.

"Until that blue speed demon and my master's most hated enemy snuck in and broke them out of the dungeon."

"Well where's Sonic and the others?" asked Espio.

"They've escaped, much to the dismay of Lord Bowser and his new partner."

"Partner?" Charmy repeated. "Who's his partner?"

"Dr. Eggman."

"WHAT?!" Everyone but Shadow yelled.

"Why is he here with your ruler?" the ebony hedgehog queried.

"They've met each other and made a compromise to take down their enemies once and for all."

"Are you serious?" asked Knuckles.

"No, I'm not," Kamek bluntly replied. "Now, hand over that jewel to me."

"Never."

Suddenly, Kamek stopped his magic. Shadow thought he had won, but he didn't expect him to teleport inside the cell and whack him with his wand. He then sent a spell that hit Shadow's white-furred chest, causing him to accidentally let go of the Emerald and fly into the wall.

"Shadow!" Rouge ran over to him with Blaze.

"Are you alright?"

"Yes, I'm fine," he denied as he grabbed their hands.

Kamek, who caught the gem, quickly went outside the cell bars before any of the other captives could catch him.

"You have to give us that Chaos Emerald back," demanded Silver.

"As I suspected. Dr. Eggman did mention something about the Chaos Emeralds before. He's looking for them for his shared plan with Master Bowser. I'm sure he'll appreciate this."

"Hey! Get back here!" Knuckles shouted. He rattled the bars, then he punched them with his fists. He couldn't break them down, no matter how hard he tried. "Come on!"

"So, Knuckles, where do you think we should search next?" the crocodile sarcastically queried.

"Shut up, Vector."

"Great. Now we're all stuck here. And this is your fault," Shadow pointed at Silver.

"Me?"

"Yes, you. You must have screwed up Chaos Control, and you sent all of us to a completely different universe, far from the one where Faker is right now."

"Didn't you hear that guy? Sonic was here when he rescued Amy, Cream, and Cheese."

"And how do we know that he's telling the truth?"

"Exactly," Espio agreed. "He manipulated us into thinking Sonic was here when he isn't. What if he really didn't intrude the castle?"

"I don't know. Maybe he did. Maybe he didn't. And as for the warping, I'm sorry that I got us into this mess. I didn't expect to be taken to the wrong location."

"Silver, I don't think it's entirely your fault," consoled Blaze. "I think it must have been a mistake."

"Yeah, a mistake that got us trapped behind bars."

The cat glared Rouge before turning back to the white hedgehog. "Maybe we'll find a way out. Or if Sonic _is_ in this world with the girls, they could rescue us."

"First they have to know that we're in Bowser's Castle," said Espio.

"So, what do we do now?" Charmy furrowed his eyebrows.

Knuckles looked down at the floor. "We have to wait. We have to wait until Sonic or somebody else can find us."

"And once we get out, we better grab that Emerald back," Shadow added.

The eight prisoners all took a seat against the cold stone wall. They decided to get some rest as they have nothing else to do. A few of them jumped from the lightning outside. It was going to be a long night.

* * *

In the fortress' hangar, Eggman continued his building plans for his revenge against Sonic and Mario. He thought back to the moment on the bridge yesterday. The plumber took the raging Bullet Bill for himself, defending the hedgehog from the attack. Bowser had explained to him that Mario has been hit by many other Bullet Bills in his past, ranging from slow, normal ones to fast, red bullets that home in on him. But Mario managed to remain standing strong, much to the irritation of the Koopa King. Last night's scenario was slightly different as his gun was more impactful to the point that the red-clad man became mostly disabled.

He pushed aside his Bullet Bill Blaster and focused on readjusting Metal Sonic 2.0 to make sure he's not only more enhanced than the original, but perfect. There could only be one Sonic in Eggman's eyes. And that would be his new metal clone.

But, Metal Sonic was not the only thing he spent working on since last night. He had another surprise for his blue archrival. He just completed it this morning. And now, Eggman was onto his next big project. However, he needed some assistance from his partner.

Eggman exited his private workshop and went to the Koopa King's master bedroom. He knocked thrice to get an answer. He heard a low groan from inside.

"Who is it?"

"It's me, Dr. Eggman."

"What do you want?"

"I have something to ask you."

Eggman could've sworn he heard Bowser sigh out of exasperation, probably because he hadn't gotten a lot of sleep overnight after he was given damage from Mario, Sonic, and Peach. Nonetheless, the fat doctor was given a response.

"Come in, but open the door quietly."

He did what he was told and tried not to make a lot of noise. Eggman cringed when the doors creaked as he closed them.

"Sorry about that."

"Whatever," Bowser dismissed it. He was lying down on his shell against the firm, king-sized mattress. An ice pack laid on his forehead while a couple small bandages were pressed up against his cheeks and other areas on his muzzle. His right leg was wrapped in a cast. "What's your question?"

"Well, now I have two questions. First, did your magic assistant help you with that?"

"Yeah, Kamek did all this. Grr... Stupid Mario... He just had to ruin everything yesterday!"

"Come on, you told me things will work out in our favor. By the time you're finished healing and I'm finished with my inventions, we'll wipe the floor over both our rivals!"

Bowser snorted through his nostrils as he struggled into a sitting position. "I'll need a couple weeks before I can even get back on my feet to do anything."

"Take as much time as you need," Eggman waved a hand. "There's no need to rush perfection in our plan."

"By the way, what was your other question?"

"Huh? Oh, right. Do you happen to have any traces of Mario that I could use?"

"Traces? What are you talking about?"

"I've finished working on Metal Sonic 2.0 and another iteration of a robot I once created. And now, I'm arranging to build a third one, only this time it will be a clone of Mario! And I'm going to name him Metal Mario!"

"Uh, I'm pretty sure you can't name him that."

"Why not? Is that name already used?"

"Technically, yes," he rolled his eyes. "In one of the earliest times I kidnapped the princess, he was searching through the castle for Power Stars and encountered a special hat power-up: the Metal Cap. It can transform him into a metal form to become invincible and sink underwater like an anchor. Thus, he would be known as Metal Mario. Otherwise, I've seen a metal clone of him act as a rival, so you're too late on that." ** _(1)_**

"Hmm... that's quite interesting and disappointing at the same time. Regardless, I'm going to make him metallic and stronger than your opponent and that old clone you've seen. Generally speaking, the only thing I ask for is a piece of DNA I could sample off to get the idea to construct his physique. You know what I mean?"

"I think so. I would've offered you Jr.'s old mask since he used that to masquerade as a shadow version of him. **_(2)_** But he seemed to have misplaced it. Now he's just wearing the same traditional mask with the large fangs on it. So what do you want from Mario? A piece of hair?"

"Usually, hair is the most optimal item to use for cloning. I just want to see if a hair from him would help me produce my Metal Mario robot. He could copy his similar traits that you've mentioned to me: jumping, running, punching, all types of moves and skills that he exhibits. Except, he'll be ten times better and more powerful. And he'll fight along with Metal Sonic to make us a bigger force to be reckoned with! Finally, I'll create a fourth robot to finish the job."

"I guess I see where you're going with this. But why do you need a fourth metal minion if you already have one of the blue rat and you're going to make one that looks like Mario? And who's the other guy?"

Eggman sneered from behind his mustache. "Let's just say I've built a second metal version of Sonic's little fox friend. **_(3)_** Since I'm done with him, Metal Mario is next. Following that, I'll make a version of that green plumber you spoke of."

Bowser blinked. "Green 'Stache?"

"Well, you never told me his actual name."

"Bwah, I can hardly remember, nor do I care. But, that does sound intriguing. I'm starting to like this plan already," the Koopa evilly smirked.

Eggman chortled. "I'm glad you think that way. Eventually, we'll see how Sonic and Mario feel when they get the chance to fight robotic clones of their younger brothers."

Just then, another knock was heard outside Bowser's bedroom door. "My lord? Can I enter?"

"Uh, yeah. Come in."

Kamek opened the door and walked in to see the king sitting up. "Your Awfulness, I see that you're awake. Are you full rested?"

"Not yet. What brings you here?"

"Considering Dr. Eggman is also here, I have some important news." That caused the two villains to glance at each other before turning back to the Magikoopa. "I've come to address that more of Sonic's friends have intruded the castle."

"More?" they simultaneously reiterated.

"Two hedgehogs, one of black fur and the other with silver, a purple cat, a white bat, a green crocodile, a purple chameleon, an yellow and black bee, and a hotheaded, gullible red echidna. I presume you know them, Doctor?"

Eggman lowered his eyebrows. "Yes, I do. Where are they now?"

"I've imprisoned them into the dungeon like I've done with the first three a few days ago. And, I happened to find this." He grabbed something from the inside of his sleeve. When he showed the shining object, Dr. Eggman was enthralled.

"A Chaos Emerald!"

"That's what it looks like?" asked Bowser.

"Indeed it does."

"I suspect this might be helpful for you."

"It does," Eggman smiled with his teeth showing. "Now we have one in our hands."

"We could've had two since Larry and my other minions found one. But they reported to me that Sonic took it from them."

"Is that so? Hmph. Well, we'll figure out some way to steal it back from them. All we know is that we have one, and so do they. But who knows if they have more?"

"You're right. It's possible those idiots could have another one." Little did they both know was that the professor was holding onto one for the heroes.

"Anyways, I should get back to work."

"Hold on. Kamek, do a favor for Dr. Eggman."

"Okay. What is your request?"

"I need a piece of DNA from Mario's body so I can make a metal robot of himself. Just come back with one piece of hair from him."

"Do you prefer the hair on his head, or his mustache?"

"Either of them should be sufficient."

"Alright. I'll be off then if you two are fine."

"Yeah, I think we're good," Bowser gave a malicious, yet satisfied look at his partner, to which Eggman mirrored him.

"Heh heh, we most certainly are."

 ** _END OF CHAPTER_**

* * *

 _Welp, this doesn't sound good. As Bowser impatiently waits for his recovery to finish, Eggman will be completing his goal to build the metal enemies. He's already built 2.0 models of Sonic and Tails. And now, Mario and Green 'Stache... I mean, Luigi, are next. But how is this going to work out? Will Eggman be successful? Not only that, but they are in possession of one of the seven Chaos Emeralds. And as for Sonic's friends who have warped to the Koopa Kingdom instead of the Mushroom Kingdom, how will they fare in Bowser's dungeon?_

 _Next time on New Brotherhood, we'll fast forward to the point where Mario is fully healed. By then, he'll be off to venture with Sonic to find the Chaos Emeralds. Let me know how this chapter, tell me if I need to fix any errors, follow/favorite for more chapters, and I'll see you next time on Ch. 23! This is TGN, signing off._

* * *

 ** _Post-Chapter Notes:_**

 ** _(1):_** _Dating back to Super Mario 64, Metal Mario was introduced as a powered-up form that Mario could use to fight against strong winds and walk on the floors underwater. The other version of Metal Mario acts an opponent, starting with Super Smash Bros. He has also appeared as a playable character in Mario Kart 7, Mario Kart 8/Deluxe, and other spin-offs._

 ** _(2):_** _Bowser Jr. first wore a blue mask with Mario's nose and mustache to retain his Shadow Mario form, which he deviously used to frame him for spoiling Isle Delfino in Super Mario Sunshine._

 ** _(3):_** _Metal Tails is found in the Sonic comic series, and he'll be vital alongside the other metal counterparts in hopes of defeating the protagonists._


	24. Ch 23: A Hero's Recovery

_A/N:_ _Just in case if I confused anyone else, I only referenced Shadow Mario from SMS, but he won't be associated with this story. Eggman is creating metal robot versions of his and Bowser's enemies. He already completed Metal Sonic 2.0, he implied on finishing a version of Metal Tails, and his next step is to build his own iteration of Metal Mario. And that's it. I'm pretty sure I'm not missing anyone else._

 _I should also note that I've been taking a summer class, and it's gotten in the way of writing my stories. Plus, I just got a summer job, so that will also interfere with Fanfiction. I know I promised to be more consistent, but the best I can do is update once a month or at random. And that's probably going to stay the same for this story and Revengeful Resistance once I start my next year in college. I hope you understand, and thanks for your patience._

 _For the first guest who reviewed the last chapter, I'm only adding the Koopalings for one main reason. I also went back to re-edit that part you mentioned. I don't know if that makes you happy or better, but there you go. For Guest #2, I'm not sure if I'm supposed to take your review as a compliment or a minor insult, but it's whatever. Thanks for your feedback. I also appreciate Steel Fairy, FairyTalePrincess16, SpiderDom321, Infinite's Ruby, and ViolaHarmony for your reviews as well._

 _Lastly, I had a little bit of writer's block when I wrote this chapter._ _It's mostly filler, but hopefully it's decent._

* * *

 _Disclaimer:_ _I don't own anything in relations to Sonic or Mario whatsoever. I only take credit for the story._

* * *

 **Chapter 23:** A Hero's Recovery

 _Location: Toadley Clinic_

As Dr. Toadley predicted, Mario was getting very close to full health before he can be admitted out of the hospital. And over the past fourteen days, Mario had received some visits from his friends.

Yoshi and Birdo arrived two days after the incident at Bowser's Castle. When the green dinosaur heard that his buddy got injured, he wanted to see Mario. Birdo tagged along as well. When they arrived, Mario was happy to see them. He introduced them to Sonic, telling him he's the fastest guy in the universe.

Yoshi was intrigued by this claim since he was considered the quickest runner in the Mushroom Kingdom. That's when he challenged him to a friendly footrace outside. Sonic gladly accepted the challenge. When the race took place outside, the Blue Blur shocked the dinosaurs. He went so fast that Yoshi barely took a step at the start. Impressed by his speed, he praised the blue hedgehog, and the two became good friends. Before they returned to Yoshi's Island, they gave their goodbyes and wishes to Mario for a fast recovery.

Princess Daisy returned to the Mushroom Kingdom the day after Yoshi and Birdo visited. She was also told of the news of Mario's injury. At one point she joked at the fact that she left for Sarasaland hours ago, then all of a sudden Mario got himself into trouble. The plumber rolled his eyes at Daisy, but he knew that she was kidding around. What made him feel relaxed was the fact that she seemed to have been well after Luigi's passing. Albeit, she obviously missed the green-clad man. But spending the time to talk with Mario was something she had done over the course of her first stint here since the funeral. And having this moment to converse again was just another comforting moment for them.

Before she flew back to her kingdom, Daisy got the chance to meet Amy, Cream, and Cheese when they met up at the clinic. And soon after, the girls and the Chao got along pretty well, even though it lasted no more than twenty minutes. Daisy hoped to see them again soon though.

Others have also visited the hospital, including Toad, Toadette, Toadsworth, Donkey Kong, and several of Mario's friends whom he had ventured with in his previous journeys.

Today, Wario and Waluigi decided to check in and see the red-hatted man. The two have moved on from Luigi's death, which didn't surprise Mario. **_(1)_** For some reason, the purple-clothed man had a red mark on his right cheek (and I'm not talking about his distorted nose). They were busy discussing several incidents that occurred with Daisy before she returned to Sarasaland.

"So I was trying to do a bunch of stuff to get her attention, and I tried everything!" Waluigi exclaimed.

"Yeah. And they all failed miserably," Wario chuckled to himself.

"Hey! You could have been a better wingman!"

"And maybe you could have straightened up and act like a man out there!"

"Have you not seen me? I'm gleaming with a manly charm!"

"If that's the case, then how come every single woman out there is disgusted or annoyed by you?"

"What do you mean 'disgusted'? I'm the perfect example of what girls want! I have good looks, a sexy accent, and a nice mustache! Additionally, I'm tall and skinny, which is what the ladies admire!"

"But down there you don't measure up to them, do you?"

"Wario! That's borderline inappropriate!" Mario yelled from his bed, already regretting the idea of letting them talk.

"What? What's wrong about-"

"Stop it, Wario. I don't want to hear or be a part of this discussion."

"Ah, whatever. Either way, the point of this story is that Ms. Flower Lady was annoyed by everything he was doing. He asked me for help, but I felt that I didn't have the chance to assist him since he kept screwing things up himself."

"Like what?" Waluigi countered.

"Last week, you wanted to talk to her, and then you pushed her into a water fountain."

"Oh, come on. That was an accident."

"And there's the time you tried to set up a date at the restaurant, only to bump into the Toad who spilled spaghetti sauce all over her dress."

"If you asked me, that Toad was the clumsy one," he crossed his arms.

"Then you bought and gave her a bouquet of bee balms. Which had bees in them."

"Please tell me you're kidding me," Mario shook his head.

"Pfft. Like I would tell a lie."

"Actually, there's that one time you-"

"Anyways, there were bees in the flowers, and they nearly stung her face had she not thrown them back to Waluigi. You see that red bump on his cheek?" Wario pointed at Waluigi's face.

"Yeah. I was about to say, I was curious about why you looked like that," Mario recognized.

"Well, that's one of the many bee stings he got. He's got more on his arms, and I had to take him here for remedies."

"How was I supposed to know they were bee balms?! The florist told me they were daisies!"

"First of all, you got scammed for a hundred coins by that shady Lakitu in Flower Fields."

"You spent a hundred on bee balms?" Mario cocked an eyebrow, questioning Waluigi's stupidity.

"The guy told me they were daisies!" he emphasized.

"Secondly, bee balms look nothing like daisies! You don't even know what daisies look like! You should've done research rather than waste your money from some scammer! He probably wasn't a florist in the first place!"

"How is that my fault?"

Wario was tired of him, so he just rolled his eyes.

"Waluigi, no offense, but why do you even bother?" asked Mario. "Did you really think you could try to make her move on immediately?"

"Yeah. What's wrong with that?"

"Daisy was in love with Luigi. And even though it's been a few weeks, she still has feelings for him after he went away. She needs some personal space and time to cope."

"What's the difference? You haven't coped with his loss yet."

Mario narrowed his eyes at him. "He's my brother. I have a reason to still be upset at this point."

"Oh, wah-wah. I'm sure you'll be okay in the next few days."

"Don't talk to me like that, Waluigi."

"What? I was being honest. Sort of. At least on the injury side."

"But hey. How funny are Waluigi's bee stings?" Wario joked.

"Bee stings aren't hilarious, Wario. You try getting stung by some and laugh from that."

"Have you gotten stung before?"

"Yes. From those damn Bzzaps in Flower Fields. **_(2)_** That's probably why they were hiding in the bee balms. And seriously, how do you not know what daisies look like?"

"Would you stop bringing that up?!" Waluigi grunted. "I'm getting a Shroom Shake." He abruptly left Mario's hospital room.

"So, when you are getting out of here?"

"I talked to Dr. Toadley earlier, and I told him that I'm feeling much better now. It's likely that I could be out of here by this afternoon."

"Well, that's good. Because now we can go back to kart racing eventually. And I'm sure that I'm gonna win next time."

"Wario, I can't go kart racing. I promised Sonic that I would help him find the Chaos Emeralds and bring him home."

"Sonic?"

"Seriously? You never heard of him? He's a fast, blue hedgehog. He crashed into the kingdom weeks ago."

"Hmm... Never seen or heard of him before. Anyways, what's the deal with these 'Chaos Emeralds' or whatever you said?"

"They are a collection of really powerful gems originally from his world. There's seven of them, varying in different colors. They can be used to give him superpowers, or they could be used for evil."

Wario pondered to himself after hearing how valuable they are. _"Hmm... I wonder how many coins I could get if I sold one of those emeralds. Considering they're rare, I'd be the richest person in the Mushroom Kingdom!"_ he greedily thought.

Mario read his face like a book. "If you're thinking about money, you're not going to sell them for a profit. We need them to build a teleporter so Sonic and his friends can return to their home planet."

"What are you, a psychic?"

"No. But your smirk made it pretty obvious."

Wario grumbled to himself. "Eh, I'm gonna go find Waluigi. Don't get beaten up next time," he exited the room.

"I didn't get myself- Oh, whatever," Mario gave up after he closed the door. He laid back on his pillow and grabbed a magazine on top of the nearby cabinet. Just then, he heard a quick whooshing sound.

"What's up, Mario?" Sonic casually gave a wave of his hand.

"Oh, nothing much. Did you bring my clothes?"

"Sure did," he raised the other hand that held Mario's shirt and overalls. "And here's the key to your house that you gave me," he pulled it out of his quills.

"Thanks for the favor, Sonic. You can set them down on the chair."

Sonic did as he was told and jumped up on his bed. "So, has anything happened while I was away?"

"Just recently, my bothersome rivals paid me a visit here."

"Your rivals?" he raised an eyebrow.

"Their names are Wario and Waluigi. The former is usually the one I have problems with. Waluigi is more of Luigi's rival."

"Oh, I see. It's kind of weird how your names are close in comparison to theirs. No wonder you said that you're rivals with each other."

"Yeah. They're most competitive when it comes to racing, sports, or party games. Whenever they win, they just won't stop bragging to everyone. It's so annoying."

"Hmm... I brag sometimes, but I don't try to take in the glory a whole lot."

"I bet you aren't as irritating as them though. They'll treat their victories like it's the best news ever. And they won't stop running their mouths for about a month."

"By the way, how are you holding up here?"

"I am getting better. Dr. Toadley has been giving me doses of Mushroom Tea for healing effects. It's gradually improved my body. I'm also feeling fine whenever I walk."

"That's good to hear!" Sonic smiled.

"Even better, I could be out in a few more hours once Dr. Toadley has cleared everything up."

"Awesome! Glad to see you're feeling healthy again!"

"I am," Mario grinned. "How's Amy, Cream, and Cheese?"

"They're doing fine. I heard they were helping Peach bake a cake for you, just as a way to welcome you back from the hospital."

"That's nice to hear. I always love Peach's cakes. She's the best baker I know!"

"She's also a pretty good cook in general. She whipped up a plate of my favorite food, chili dogs. And man, they were delicious!" Sonic rubbed his stomach.

"I've never tried a chili dog before."

Sonic looked as if he was utterly shocked. "Are you serious? You've never eaten a chili dog? It's like the best thing in the world!" he threw his hands up. "Alright, that's it! I'm getting you a chili dog as soon as you get out of here!"

"Okay, that sounds good," chuckled Mario. "And after that, we can start searching for the Chaos Emeralds."

"Sweet! Hey, do you wanna practice some more guitar?"

"Sure! I have it right here."

For the next few hours, they spent more time playing some songs and strumming the chords. Sonic had several ideas of what he could play at the concert, but he was undecided at the moment. Afterward, Dr. Toadley gave Mario one final checkup and another dose of Mushroom Tea before he was given clearance to leave the clinic. Once everything went well, the machines were taken off. Mario thanked the doctor before he left. He stripped off the blue shorts, changed into his plumber outfit, and placed his red hat on top of his head.

"Heh, it's really nice to see you wearing red again," Sonic complimented.

"Thanks. I did miss these clothes." He grabbed his guitar off Sonic's bed. "I'm going to put this back in my house. Then we can head over to the castle."

"Alright. Lead the way, Mario!"

* * *

 _Location: Peach's Castle_

Late in the afternoon, Princess Peach was in the castle's kitchen with Amy, Cream, and Cheese. They spent about two hours preparing a celebratory cake for Mario. A timer rang loudly, indicating that the cakes were done baking. Peach grabbed two pink mittens and opened the oven door. Carefully minding the heat, she pulled out three different-sized pans and placed them on the counter. After the cakes cooled to room temperature, she stacked the layers on top of one another.

"So, Peach, what do you like to decorate your cakes with?" asked Amy.

"There's plenty of things I like, Amy. But most of the time, I use buttercream frosting and strawberries."

"Ooh, I love strawberries!"

"And I like buttercream frosting!" Cream hopped on her shoes.

"Chao!" Cheese agreed with the bunny.

"Tee-hee! I'm sure you'll all love it. Thanks again for helping me mix the cake batter."

"Oh, it's no problem! I love to cook as well!" said Amy.

"Can we also help with the decorating?" Cream offered.

"Absolutely! We'll each cover a tier with frosting."

They got to work as they each took a spatula and scooped up some pink vanilla frosting. Peach covered the bottom layer, Amy took care of the middle, and Cheese and Cream finished the top. Later, they all placed strawberries around the borders of the layers. Finally, they put some candles on top. Peach finished it off by lighting up the candles.

"Ooh, that looks pretty!" adored Cream.

"I can't wait to share this with Sonic and Mario!"

"Me, too. I hope they'll be here soon."

Apparently, Peach's wish came true when Toadsworth entered the kitchen. "Princess! Excellent news! Master Mario has been admitted out of the Toadley Clinic!"

"Really?! That's wonderful!"

"Isn't Sonic with him?"

"Oh, yes, Miss Amy! Master Sonic's escorting him through the castle grounds."

"Come on, everybody! Let's carry this cake over to the dining room."

"Okay!" Amy and Cream replied.

The three carefully brought it to the table and set it down. By then, they all heard the front doors open.

"Mario! Welcome back!" Toad greeted.

"Thanks, Toad. Glad to be here in the castle again!"

"Mario!"

He turned towards the voice. The plumber smiled when he saw the princess. "Peach!"

She ran over and gave him a hug. "How are you feeling?"

"Like I was never hurt in the first place."

"That's great to hear," said Amy.

"Anyways, we have a surprise for you, Mr. Mario!" Cream jumped for joy.

"Um... Yeah, about that, I kind of told Mario about the surprise. Whoops," Sonic shrugged with an awkward smile.

"Oh, Sonic! You just had to ruin it for us!" Amy stomped her foot.

"It's alright, Amy. We'll still celebrate even if Mario knows," reassured Peach.

"That's alright with me. I'm just happy to be on my two feet again."

"Chao!" Cheese flew in circles, causing the others to laugh.

As they entered the dining room, Mario and Sonic were amazed at the cake in front of them.

"Wow! That's one large cake!" Sonic whistled.

"Peach, you never fail to amaze me with your baking skills."

"Thank you, Mario. But I had some help from Cream, Cheese, and Amy."

"I must say, you all did a spectacular job with this cake."

"Thanks, Mario!" they responded.

"I can't wait to dig into this. Oh, and Peach?"

"Yes, Sonic?"

"Can you do me one more favor once we're done?" Peach nodded at him "Remember those chili dogs you made me earlier? I would like another round, except it's for Mario. He's _got_ to try one," Sonic emphasized.

Peach giggled. "Okay, I'll do it later."

Everyone settled around the table as they dug into the scrumptious dessert. The sponge cake was moist, the frosting was sweet, and the strawberries were delectably fresh.

"Mmm! That was probably the best cake I ever ate! Nice job, girls!" Sonic declared.

"We appreciate the compliment, Sonic," said Peach.

Suddenly, Toadette ran inside to find the person who she was looking forward. "Hi, Mario!"

"Hello, Toadette. Good to see you!"

"Same here!"

"How's the concert practice going for you?" queried Sonic.

"Pretty good so far. But I have something else to tell you."

"What is it?"

"Professor E. Gadd called earlier. He said he wants to see you and Sonic at his bunker as soon as possible."

"He does?"

"Maybe he's made progress on building the portal for Sonic and his friends," Mario presumed.

"I almost forgot about that. Also, we've never met this professor before," Amy mentioned.

"Can we go see him?" Cream asked.

"We can all visit him right now."

"Right after you try a chili dog first," reminded Sonic.

"Okay. Chili dogs first. Then we can see E. Gadd."

"I'll go ahead and make them right now," Peach walked back to the kitchen. Minutes later, she returned with a plate of chili dogs in her hands. Steam flowed up from the hot chili.

"Go ahead, Mario," encouraged Sonic.

Mario shrugged his shoulders and grabbed one off the platter. He took a bite into it, and his eyes bulged. "Mamma Mia. That tastes really good! The chili really adds some spice and flavor to the hot dog."

"See? I told you they were good!"

"Sonic could eat them for ages and for any kind of meal, whether it's breakfast, lunch, dinner, or even a midnight snack," told Amy.

"For me, I usually like to eat pasta or mushrooms. I might want to consider trying other things. Anyways, why don't we head over to Boo Woods now?"

"Since you completed my favor, I say let's go!" Sonic shouted.

With that, the two heroes departed the castle with Peach, Amy, Cream, and Cheese following them. The Toads waved goodbye as they made their way to Boo Woods.

 ** _END OF CHAPTER_**

* * *

 _This is kind of an underwhelming chapter because I really didn't plan anything big besides Mario being restored to health and leaving the clinic. I also added Wario and Waluigi into the first half for some slight humor, and that's about it. Either way, we'll see what the professor has to say in the next one._

 _Leave a review down below, follow/favorite the story for more updates, and I'll see you guys for Ch. 24 of New Brotherhood. This is TGN, signing off._

* * *

 ** _Post-Chapter Notes:_**

 ** _(1):_** _Even though Luigi's loss affected them at the start, I didn't think it would make sense for Wario and Waluigi to be OOC throughout this story. They'd have to move on from him because of their aloof relationship. That was my thought process when I wrote this part._

 ** _(2):_** _The Bzzap! is a type of bee enemy found in Ch. 6 of Paper Mario. And god damn, they are, dare I say, the most ANNOYING enemies in the game. Aside from the friendly ones in Super Mario Galaxy, I loathe bees in general._


	25. Ch 24: Start of the Emerald Hunt

_A/N:_ _We got another short chapter here, but this will technically mark the start of Mario and Sonic's second adventure together in New Brotherhood. And of course, they've got their friends to help them as well. Let's get to it!_

* * *

 _Disclaimer:_ _I don't own any rights to Nintendo or Sega whatsoever._

* * *

 **Chapter 24:** Start of the Emerald Hunt

 _Location: Boo Woods_

Mario, Sonic, and the others entered the large forest, walking down the dirt pathway as the sun was about to set.

"These trees look so scary," Cream clenched her hands in front her chest. Cheese was hiding behind the bunny's ears.

"Don't worry, Cream and Cheese. This place may be called Boo Woods, but it usually isn't full of ghosts here anymore," reassured Mario.

"You mean there _were_ ghosts that lived here?" asked Amy.

Mario nodded. "They're known as the Boos. But since the professor lives here, he maintains the area so that they don't invade the place. At one point though, they kidnapped me with their leader, King Boo, and I was imprisoned in a painting."

"A painting?"

"Yeah. There used to be a creepy mansion that was built in the middle of this forest. Luigi won it in a contest he never entered, and we decided to check it out. I went before him, and that's when they captured me. With the help of E. Gadd and his inventions, he was able to face his fear of ghosts and saved me from King Boo."

"That's quite a story! I'm glad he was able to rescue you!" said Cream.

"Yeah, me too. If it wasn't for him, I don't know what could've happened after that."

They approached the small bunker with Luigi's humongous house standing behind it.

"Is that the mansion you were trapped in?"

"Oh no, Amy. That Luigi's alternate home. Professor E. Gadd used the treasure Luigi found and build this as a reward for capturing the ghosts that escaped their own paintings."

"There were more ghosts involved?"

"Yeah, but we don't have to worry about them at all."

"Luigi told us that most of them tried to hurt him, others weren't so bad, and a few were helpful in his adventure," explained Peach.

"Still, they weren't as evil or annoying as the Boos. When too many of them gang up on you, it causes chaos."

"Speaking of Chaos," Sonic dug through his quills to pull out the cyan Emerald, "I still got this one, and the professor has the blue one. I wonder what he has to say."

"Only one way to find out," Mario knocked on the door. A few minutes later, the professor opened the entrance.

"Mario! Sonic! Princess Peach! Great to see your faces again! And are these the friends you rescued at Bowser's Castle?"

"You bet!" Sonic smirked. "This is Amy, Cream, and Cheese." They all waved at the short man.

"Pleasure to meet you all! My name is Professor Elvin Gadd. But you can call me E. Gadd for short."

"Nice to meet you, Professor," Amy and Cream curtsied. Cheese gave a small bow before letting out a soft 'Chao'.

"Please, come inside." He closed the door when everyone entered. "First of all, Mario, I sincerely apologize that I couldn't visit you at the clinic."

"It's alright, E. Gadd. I understand that you were busy."

"Did you at least receive my 'Get Well Soon' card?"

"I did, actually. Just about a week ago. I appreciate the thought."

"You're very welcome. I'm happy that you're feeling better now. And I'm glad your friends are safe from that Koopa's castle, Sonic."

"Me, too."

"So, Professor, what do you do for a living?"

"Good question, Amy! I'm an inventor, scientist, and research expert on paranormal spirits."

"Are you talking about ghosts?"

"Why yes, Cream! It's my favorite subject to investigate for many years. I still examine them to this day!"

"Arf! Arf!"

Amy, Cream, and Cheese saw the Polterpup walk into the room.

"Aw, who's this?" Amy bent down on her knees.

"This is Colombo, a special species of ghosts by the name of Polterpup. He's technically Luigi's pet."

They played around with the dog who laid on the floor, panting with his tongue out and wagging his ghost tail.

"He's so cute!" adored Cream. Colombo let out a small whine, appreciating her comment.

"Colombo is always one likes to play around. He's just full of energy."

"You're lucky he didn't pounce on you, unlike me," Sonic rolled his eyes.

"Have you been taking care of him?" questioned Amy.

"That's correct. But I'm not sure if you're aware of Luigi and... Well..."

"Oh, don't worry. We already know. And we understand," she sympathized.

"Yes, anyway, before his passing, he asked if I could be his secondary caretaker whenever he's busy or not around. I gladly accepted his offer. And at this point, I'm looking after the young feller like I promised."

"That's so kind of you. I'm sure Luigi appreciates your support."

"And I'm certain that he's doing fine, too," E. Gadd subtly wiped a tear away from behind his glasses.

"Um, Professor?"

"Yes, Princess?"

"You mentioned that you wanted Mario and Sonic to arrive here for some important news."

"Oh yeah. I almost forgot," the plumber realized. "What did you need us for?"

"Ah, yes! I have some special news for Sonic and his friends."

"Is this about the portal you were building?" the cobalt hedgehog asked.

"Indeed! And I also have an additional surprise. Come this way."

E. Gadd led the party over to another section of his lab. Found in one of the corners, there was a large archway placed on a metal platform.

"This is what I call the Chaos Conveyor! This machine will get you critters back to your home planet in no time!"

"Whoa... That looks incredible!" Cream jumped for joy.

Sonic whistled at the creation. "That's a cool looking teleporter. I'm impressed!"

"How does this thing power up?" Amy queried.

"Another good question, my pink friend! Do you see those apertures along the archway?"

"Yeah. It looks like the Chaos Emeralds can fit inside them."

"Precisely!" He later held up his pointer fingers, signaling them to wait a moment. He reached in a nearby shelf to bring out the blue gem. "I was able to harness the energy from this Chaos Emerald I found weeks ago. It took several days to understand the powers, which is why I was unable to visit the hospital. Despite some complications and multiple attempts to get used to something that's from a completely different dimension, I think I now understand how this Chaos Emerald works. Albeit, you guys are the bigger experts when it comes to these precious gems," he referred to Sonic and his Mobian friends.

"So, what does this mean, Professor?" Peach wondered.

"It means that we need to find the remaining Chaos Emeralds to power up the Chaos Conveyor. Once all seven are inserted into the slots, they'll be used as the power source to charge up the portal that will lead to Mobius. And with my computer that's linked to the teleporter, I'll turn this baby on. All they have to do is walk through, and they'll be sent off to their home. And once everyone has returned, the Chaos Emeralds will be teleported to Mobius as well."

"Sounds like a plan to me!" Sonic motioned with a thumbs-up. "And also, we stole this from one of the Koopas," he held the cyan Emerald.

"Wonderful! Now we just need the other five, and the Chaos Conveyor will be complete!"

"The question is, where are the other Chaos Emeralds?"

"That's a good point, Mario," said Peach.

"Knowing Eggman was the last one who used all seven of them to create the black hole, they must have been separated after that usage," Sonic thought.

"And since we have two of them, the other five could be spread throughout the Mushroom Kingdom," Amy believed.

"I guess the best we could do is start searching wherever we can," considered Cream.

"Not really," E. Gadd told the group. "After I constructed the Chaos Conveyor, I utilized the Chaos Emerald to build another tool that will guide you in your journey. I've been working on this over the past few days."

"What is it?" Mario tilted his head.

E. Gadd made the same hand gesture as he pulled another device from the shelf. It was a square red panel with a green, circular map, buttons around the electronic chart, an antenna on the top, and two small metal bars attached to the side.

"Hey! That looks like an Emerald Detector!" noticed Sonic. **_(1)_**

"An Emerald Detector?" Peach and Mario simultaneously repeated.

"Funny you should mention that. That was the name I thought of for this device. Great minds think alike, I suppose!"

"What does it do?"

"You see, Mario, I embedded a radar to track the frequency of the Chaos Emeralds' energy. I started off with a small prototype of this detector. Then, I used it for a test run to detect the location of the blue Emerald I kept. After a few adjustments and some time to tinker with the mechanism, I polished the final product to help you search for the other Chaos Emeralds!"

"That's fantastic!" Amy grinned.

"As long as you keep that, you'll be able to track down those gems in no time!" E. Gadd handed the device to Sonic.

"Hey, Mario, do you want to hold onto this?"

"Me? Why?"

"I don't know. Maybe you're better off using this kind of technology than me. Frankly, I would probably have no idea what to do if I was equipped with something so advanced and complicated. No offense," he directed to Gadd.

"Oh, none taken, blue feller."

"Do you really trust me with this?"

"Sure I do! Don't worry, you'll be fine."

"Only if you think so."

"I don't think so. I _know_ so."

Mario was a little amused by his overconfidence, but he was also appreciative of Sonic's trust in him.

"Why don't we give this a shot?"

He turned on the Emerald Detector and a basic green map appeared on the screen. Some lights were blinking on the panel as it searched for a Chaos Emerald. After several seconds, a musical tone played from the speakers.

"It found one of the Emeralds, right?" Cream looked at the professor.

"Certainly! Whenever you hear that sound, it gives the general location of the Emerald. Once you reach the area, the receiver will blink in color if you're near one. Green means that you're in proximity, but you got a ways to go. Yellow indicates that you're nearby. And red tells you that you're right on the money! **_(2)_** It's basically a game of hot and cold."

"And it seems that the signal is detecting an Emerald in Sarasaland," Mario identified from the map.

"Sarasaland?" Amy raised an eyebrow.

"That's Daisy's kingdom!" exclaimed Peach.

"You mean the flower princess we met last week?" Cream fathomed.

"Uh-huh."

"Alright! We already got a lead on the next Chaos Emerald! Let's go!" Sonic was ready to run out.

"Hold on, Sonic!" Mario stopped him. "What do we do about the Chaos Emeralds we have now? Should we leave them here with E. Gadd? Or do you think you might need both?"

"Hmm... You're right. Professor, you got a safe or anything to secure these?"

"I do! It's in my underground basement. I'll lock them up until you need them, or until we collect all seven."

"Perfect," he tossed the light blue gem. "Well, are we ready to go?"

"I think so. But I have one question. How do we get to this Sara... Um... Your friend's kingdom, Peach?" Amy asked.

"We could take our private plane, the Toad Express!" **_(3)_**

"You have a plane?"

"That's right," Mario nodded. "Peach, some Toads, and I flew in it once when we traveled to Isle Delfino for vacation."

"You told me about that," Sonic remembered. "That Jr. kid ruined it for you with his magic graffiti brush."

"Anyway, we can use that for fast travel."

"That sounds delightful!" Cream smiled.

"Chao!"

"When you get the third Emerald, just come on back, and I'll keep it for safeguarding," said E. Gadd.

"Come on, guys! To Sassafras Land!" Sonic shouted.

"Sarasaland," Peach corrected with a giggle.

"Yeah, that."

"Good luck, lads!" the professor waved. Colombo barked twice as his goodbye.

"We'll see you soon!" Mario called to them.

The party walked back to Toad Town. But they were unaware of the fact that someone was spying from behind the wooden bunk.

"Sarasaland, huh? I bet the boss and the doctor will be interested in this news. Maybe that piece of hair will wait until later."

The Magikoopa flew off on his broom, heading towards Dark Land.

* * *

 _Location: Bowser's Castle_

Kamek returned to the fortress and searched for his leader. He checked the throne room, but he wasn't there. He passed one of the rooms where Lemmy, Larry, Iggy, and Morton were playing video games together.

"Koopalings? Do you where Master Bowser is?"

"Nope, don't know," Lemmy simply responded.

"I thought he went to the bathroom," Larry thought, spamming one of the buttons.

"Nah, I think he's in the kitchen. Hey! I shielded that!" Morton grumbled.

"Morton, that's where Jr. is," Iggy told him.

Kamek sighed and left them. In the room beside them, Ludwig was practicing his music on a piano. **_(4)_**

"Ludwig."

The Koopaling accidentally pressed the wrong keys to mess up his rhythm. "Darn it! I was just about to finish without any mistakes. What?"

"My apologies for the interruption. But have you seen Lord Bowser?"

"No. And thanks to you, I have to start all over again."

Kamek left him alone as he found Wendy and Roy were in another room of their own. The female Koopaling was painting her nails while the glasses-wearing turtle was lazily lounging in a chair, reading a magazine.

"Roy, Wendy, where's your father?"

"Gone," Roy deadpanned.

"Thanks for bringing that up," Wendy rolled her eyes.

Kamek pinched his nose. "I mean your adoptive father, Bowser."

"Hell if I know."

"Wendy?"

"Don't have a clue. Now can I get back to my manicure?"

"Sure," Kamek walked away. He spotted Bowser Jr. in the kitchen, trying to sneak a piece of Choco Cake from the fridge. "Jr."

"Aah! Oh, it's you, Kamek."

"Jr., I told you before, no desserts before dinnertime."

"Oh, come on! At least it's not cookies this time. Which by the way, you lied to me that one time when those weird creatures came to the castle!"

"At that moment, I wasn't going to let them know about the previous prisoners or that blue hedgehog being in here. That was why I led you astray so you wouldn't expose the secret. Now before I forget, I need to ask you something. Where's your father?"

"Dad? He's probably working with the guy."

"The guy?"

"You know, the one with the skinny arms and legs but the humongous, egg-shaped gut?"

"Jr., just refer to him as Eggman or the doctor to avoid confusion."

"Why would I call him a doctor?"

Kamek ignored him and headed to the hangar. He finally found the Koopa King who was busy. And by busy, he's watching his minions load up ammunition for the airships.

"Your Evilness," he addressed.

"Ah, Kamek. Did you get the hair from Mario?"

"Unfortunately, I did not. He was with the princess, the hedgehog, and our old captives."

"You serious?"

"I certainly am. And it seems that they have a lead to find one of the Chaos Emeralds."

That intrigued Bowser. "Really? Where at?"

"The heroes detected that they found one in Sarasaland."

"Hmm... Interesting. Alright. Kamek, take at least two of the Koopalings with you."

"I'm pretty sure they're... occupied at the moment."

"Urgh, fine. Just recruit the Elite Trio then. And make sure you get that hair from Mario. Eggman needs it now that he doesn't have much to work on."

"As you wish, my Lord."

After the Magikoopa left the hangar, Dr. Eggman popped out from his room. "I slightly heard you were having a discussion with him. What was that about?"

Bowser sneered at him. "We know where a Chaos Emerald is."

 ** _END OF CHAPTER_**

* * *

 _The race for the third Emerald begins! For the next few chapters, Daisy will make her return to the story as the heroes visit her in Sarasaland. Unbeknownst to them, Bowser has ordered Kamek and the Elite Trio to begin their new task. Who will get to the Emerald first? And where exactly is it?_

 _Please review down below, follow/favorite for more updates, and I'll see you next time for Ch. 25 of New Brotherhood! This is TGN, signing off._

* * *

 ** _Post-Chapter Notes:_**

 ** _(1):_** _The Emerald Detector shares its name with the device that was used in a few games, such as Sonic Riders and Sonic Runners. The appearance of this machine is mostly based on the design in the latter game I mentioned._

 ** _(2):_** _Said device above works in the same way as Knuckles' story in Sonic Adventure where the radar indicates how far or close he is to an Emerald Shard._

 ** _(3):_** _The Toad Express is the name of the pink plane used in Super Mario Sunshine and Superstar Saga._

 ** _(4):_** _Bonus points to anyone who gets this reference._


	26. Ch 25: Late Night in Chai

_A/N:_ _I would like to thank ViolaHarmony, Zoggerific, SpiderDom321, Infinite's Ruby, GirlOnDarkerSide, and Steel Fairy for your feedback. Also, thanks to Zoggerific, DarkUmbreon15, and everyone else who favorited this story because New Brotherhood is now at **40 favorites**. Not only that, it has reached over **15,000 views**! I appreciate it!_

 _Here's another chapter for you all! And just so you know, this will be the final one before I return to college. The upload schedule will likely go back to one chapter per month, but I can't guarantee anything._

* * *

 _Disclaimer:_ _Sonic belongs to Sega, and Mario is owned by Nintendo. I only take credit for the story._

* * *

 **Chapter 25:** Late Night in Chai

 _Location: Sarasaland_

Sarasaland, a large country that was adjacent to the Mushroom Kingdom and ruled by Princess Daisy. This kingdom was comprised of four separate realms of their own. They were the Birabuto, Muda, Easton, and Chai Kingdoms.

Birabuto was known for its hot climate and desert landscape, featuring tons of sand dunes and pyramids. Muda featured beach-like areas, beautiful shorelines, and the most amazing sunsets for many eyes to see. Easton was an archeological site that boasted architecture with its monumental statues of heads that resembled the inhabitants of this world, including Ganchans and Tokotokos. Chai was technically the region where Princess Daisy and her kingdom rested. The oriental castle stood on top of a large mountain, highly elevated over the rest of the country. ** _(1)_**

Before the heroes left the Mushroom Kingdom, Peach gave her friend a heads-up that they were visiting and were on the lookout for the Chaos Emerald located in her kingdom. Since she agreed to join their hunt, Daisy left her castle and made her way to the Chai Airport.

Mario was no stranger to Sarasaland, but it had been a long time since he had an adventure here. He remembered how he went on a quest to save Daisy from a purple alien named Tatanga. The space invader originally conquered Sarasaland before Daisy's royal family took over. And when she was given way to the throne, Tatanga threatened to reclaim his power by kidnapping her and trying to make her his queen. He also sent his troops to guard the four provinces and hypnotized the natives when Mario traversed through the country. Thankfully, the red-clad man was able to defeat the space creature and rescue Daisy to restore peace in Sarasaland. Unfortunately, it led to a surprise ambush on his castle when his yellow rival, Wario, stole the six Golden Coins and cast a spell on the people of his land. **_(2)_**

Sitting down on one of the Mushroom-decorated seats next to Peach, Mario explained that story to Sonic and the others who were sitting across from them. They were all intrigued by his adventure.

"Oh, so that's one of the instances where Wario tried to take you down," Sonic recognized.

"Mm-hmm. He was only jealous of my popularity when we were kids, and it soon spread almost everywhere, especially in the Mushroom Kingdom. But honestly, I wasn't there for the fame and glory. I went out to Sarasaland to help rescue her, especially if she's a friend of Peach's."

"I can see from that. Sonic has helped us in the past whenever we were in distress," Amy reminisced.

Peach hopped in on the conversation. "Daisy has her own capabilities as a princess. Coming from me, she's one of the most extroverted and ambitious people I know. She'd be willing to participate in a fight whenever danger tries to threaten her kingdom. She's also a tough competitor in sports and party games. And as a kart racer, she and I have great chemistry as Double Dash partners."

"And Daisy happened to be Luigi's lover?"

Peach smiled sadly. "Yes. I introduced Daisy to him, and the two clicked together. They were wonderful as a couple. And we always had a great time when the four of us hung out."

"Aw, that sounds so sweet. I'm very sorry for her and you guys. He really sounds like someone nice to talk to."

"He sure was. And thank you for the thought."

"What about this Wario person? What does he normally do?" asked Cream.

"He usually tries to find a way to grieve me and my bro with Waluigi's help. Generally, they just cause mayhem."

"I never personally met them," said Sonic. "But from what Mario told me at the hospital, they do sound like trouble if they get involved with something important."

"Like how?"

"This one time, after we beat them in a tennis match, they drew on our faces on the tournament bracket to mock us. And eventually, they interfered with the Peach Dome Finals by capturing Yoshi and Donkey Kong. They started to fire a barrage of Bob-ombs at us with Bowser's help."

"Jeez! That Koopa teamed up with them?!" Amy gasped.

The plumber nodded. "But Luigi and I were able to knock the bombs back with some help from our other friends. We managed to take them down, but it kind of made the whole stadium explode." **_(3)_** Mario embarrassingly looked at Peach afterward, to which she let out a small giggle.

"It's okay, Mario. It wasn't your fault that my dome suffered damage. You and Luigi did what you did best. And it's been several years since it happened, so you can easily let it go."

"Were there other times where they tried to cause trouble?" Cream wondered.

"Oh, more than I can think of. They're not on Bowser's level of evil, but they can be quite annoying sometimes."

"Hey, Mario. Didn't you say they tried to make Daisy feel better around the time when she visited you?" Sonic recalled.

"It was more of Waluigi trying to get her to go on a date with him. But that didn't go well for both sides. Not only that, the two have no chemistry between them. Yet, Waluigi doesn't sound like he was going to give up. For all I know, he could try to come up with the biggest proposal to her, just so she can be his girlfriend. As stupid as it sounds, I'm not saying it's unlikely to happen."

 _"Sounds like Amy trying to set up a date with me so many times in the past. But at least we're friends, and I don't really have a problem with her,"_ Sonic thought.

Just then, the intercom in the airplane turned on with a musical tone. "Attention, passengers," the Toad pilot announced. "We have arrived in Sarasaland. We will be approaching the Chai Airport in approximately ten minutes. Please use the restroom if necessary before landing, and buckle up your seat belts as we make our arrival. Thank you for your cooperation."

"Oh, boy! We're almost here!" Cream was excited, as well as Cheese.

"I better let Daisy know that we'll be there soon," Peach pulled out a cell phone. She dialed her number and waited for her friend to pick up.

"Hello?"

"Hi, Daisy! Are you at the airport yet?"

"I am! Which gate will you be coming from?"

"We should be arriving at Gate 64."

"Perfect! I'll see you guys soon!"

As the stars in the night sky glistened, the Toad Express landed on the airport runway and slowly made its way to the corresponding gate. It took a few minutes for the plane to reach the connecting tunnel that led to the inside of the terminal. As everyone got off, the orange princess saw their faces.

"Over here, guys!" Daisy called from a nearby chair.

Peach came over to greet her with a hug. "Great to see you again, Daisy!"

"Same here! Glad to see the others as well!"

"We're happy to see you again, too!" Amy smiled.

"I must say, your kingdom looks really beautiful," Cream admired.

"Thanks. It's not as vibrant and populous as the Mushroom Kingdom, but it's home to me. So, do you know where this Chaos Emerald is?"

"We're not sure," Mario told her. "E. Gadd gave us this Emerald Detector, and it only gave a signal to us that one is located in your kingdom."

"The thing is, we need to get nearby one for this detector to actually recognize the exact spot it's hidden," explained Sonic.

"I see. Since it's getting late at night, we can search for a few hours around Chai. But if we can't find it by midnight, we can continue first thing tomorrow morning. If anything, at least you guys will get to sightsee for a while."

"But where will we sleep?" Cream asked.

"I already told my guards to make accommodations for your stay here in Sarasaland. We'll all rest in my castle."

"Why that's nice of you!" Amy appreciated the hospitality.

"Well, we better get started. The faster we find the Chaos Emerald, the sooner we can power up E. Gadd's portal," said Mario.

As they began to head out, Peach held Daisy back for a private discussion. "So, how are you doing?"

"I'm good. Still holding strong, somewhat."

"That's something, at least. I'm just happy to hear that you're doing fine."

"Yeah, I guess you could say that. Although, I wouldn't consider Waluigi trying to flirt or pick me up on a date as 'fine'. It's more... How do I say this?"

"Embarrassing?"

"And stupid. But I got a small laugh at the part where he tried to hand me bee balms, thinking it was a bouquet of daisies. And it only led him to get stung."

Peach shook her head with a small grin. "I'd hate to imagine if Waluigi were to pull the same thing to me. My favorite are roses, but he'd probably give me the same thing."

Daisy laughed at her joke, making her friend smile on the inside. Mario even heard them giggling, and he grinned to himself. It warmed his heart to know that Daisy was slowly moving on, even if it took one small step at a time.

 _"Luigi, you were very lucky to be with her."_

Yet, he was a bit sad that the two weren't able to reunite. Besides his relationship with Peach, he thought Luigi and Daisy were a great pair. If there was a possibility where he could come back to the real world, Mario would make sure that Daisy would get to meet him for the first time in over a month. But since it was a one-time thing, the chance of that happening was unlikely.

Still, he had hope.

* * *

In the kingdom, one of the most prominent landmarks was the city of Chai Town. **_(4)_** Crowded sidewalks filled the area with business booming around the blocks. There were marketplaces, restaurants, jewelry stores, and other attractions. The inhabitants consisted of several humans and Pionpis who were good-natured compared to their unfriendly counterparts when they were hypnotized under Tatanga's powers. The latter of these people may look like zombies, but they were jovial to all visitors. Some offered fruit and other goods to Sonic and his friends, who gladly accepted their gifts. It made them feel like they were in great company.

Mario, Sonic, and the others were heading down one of the busy streets in Chai Town. When they stopped at a four-way intersection, Mario brought out the Emerald Detector from his pocket. He turned it back on and studied the electronic map. He pressed a few buttons to see if he could locate the Emerald, but there was nothing.

"Hmm... I don't think the Chaos Emerald is in this region," he speculated. "The detector is not giving us a signal."

"If it was hidden here, it'd be hard to search with all these pedestrians here. And I thought Station Square was a crowded city," Sonic put a hand to his hip.

"By the way, Sonic, what does Station Square look like on your home planet?" Peach was curious.

"Almost like any other city, really. Unlike here, the sidewalks aren't that crowded, but there's plenty of people walking around enjoying the urban life. They have hotels and resorts, shopping malls, a train station, a nearby beach, and one of my personal favorites, the casino."

"Do you usually win gambling games?" Daisy asked.

"It's not about the gambling. It's about collecting rings and having a good time. Tails and I had our share of fun in Casinopolis. That's the name of the casino, just so you know. The same can't be said for Knuckles because he was finding pieces of the Master Emerald."

"The Master Emerald?" Daisy reiterated.

"It's a bigger version of the Chaos Emeralds, but it's much more powerful and can even influence the Emeralds on its own."

"Oh, I see."

"But yeah, Station Square is one of the few places I don't tend to tend run around because I might disturb the public or cause an accident on the streets. It's still a nice place to walk around. But Chai Town looks pretty cool, too!"

"I agree. The people look lively and kind, the colors and lights are dazzling, and there's so much to look at around here!" exclaimed Amy.

"Glad to see you're enjoying the trip so far."

"But we still have no leads on the Chaos Emerald," the bunny sighed.

"Don't worry, Cream," Mario reassured. "I know we'll find it sooner or later. We just have to not give up." He made her smile a little bit. Like Sonic, the plumber had his way to make others feel confident.

"Hey, what's going on over there?" Amy pointed at a jam-packed site.

"Oh, it's a Dragon Festival!" Daisy noticed.

"Dragon Festival?" the Mobians said simultaneously.

"It's an event where spectators come together to watch a bunch of people perform a traditional dragon dance. They manipulate a long dragon-like figure in front of a large audience to attract them. It's been said that dragons tend to bring good luck to everyone. Sometimes, they say that if the dragon is long, it will provide more luck to the people." **_(5)_**

"That sounds fun! Can I watch?" Cream begged.

"I don't see why not," Peach was on board.

"But what about the Chaos Emerald?" Mario reminded.

"To be honest, I don't think we're gonna find it here," Sonic believed. "But if Daisy mentioned that dragons bring out luck, maybe we can take some time to watch the festival. We could use some luck to find the Emerald later."

"Sounds like a great idea to me," Amy grinned.

"I guess you have a point."

"Besides, I think we can have some more fun here. You kind of need it after being hospitalized."

"Okay, okay," Mario laughed at the blue hedgehog. "We'll go watch the Dragon Festival!"

"Yay!" Cream shouted. Cheese did a backflip in the air as the two ran over towards the heavy crowd.

The others followed them as they gazed at the center attraction. The dragon was primarily green with a mixture of other colors, such as yellow, red, silver, and gold. A parade of Pionpis was lined up with one behind the other as they carried the elongated serpentine body. There were poles for the dancers to hold so they can move the dragon around with flexibility. Another coordinated the tail while the leading Pionpi controlled the large head of the reptilian monster. They ran around in a circle, followed by an 'S' shape, and a zigzag pattern. The dragon's body writhed up and down with the dancers altering the height of the poles. When the head was raised up high, a sound effect roared loudly throughout Chai Town, as if a real dragon appeared.

"Wow! This is incredible! Those dancers are talented!" Amy admired.

"They sure are," Peach agreed.

"And the dragon is so colorful!" Cream continued to watch in awe with Cheese.

Speaking of colors, more of them shined in the sky above. Sonic was the first in the group to notice.

"Whoa! Check it out!"

Several fireworks shot high into the sky above Chai Town. The loud, crackling sounds of the pyrotechnics reverberated throughout the kingdom.

"Mamma Mia," Mario took in the display. "Fireworks never fail to amaze me."

"I like fireworks, too. It's really cool to see them on a beautiful night like this."

The Dragon Festival ended a few minutes later, and the entire crowd applauded the team of dancers for their entertainment. The crowd started to disperse, starting to head back to their homes.

"Man, what a show that was. I've never seen anything like that in my life," said Amy.

"Glad to hear that you enjoyed it," Daisy smirked.

"Do you think we should keep looking for the Emerald?" questioned Peach.

"Maybe for another half hour. But by then, I think we should all get some rest and start anew," suggested Mario.

"I'm cool with that," Sonic accepted the game plan. "How about everyone else?"

"That's alright with me," Peach replied, despite her letting out a yawn.

The group decided to check outside of Chai Town since the detector didn't get any signs of a Chaos Emerald in the crowded vicinity. Mario led the way down a winding path until they got to the bottom of a hill. Afterward, they went past a series of pipes, mountains, and rocks, meeting up with a couple of Pionpis. When they asked if they've seen an Emerald nearby, the citizens could only shake their heads as they had no clue. By then, it was already ten minutes past midnight.

"I'm afraid we'll have to go back to my castle," Daisy told the party.

"Darn it. Maybe those dragons didn't give us the luck we needed."

"Don't feel that way, Sonic. We've still got tomorrow. And we won't stop until we track it down," Mario was determined.

"Yeah, you're right. Mmm..." the cobalt hedgehog stretched his arms out and scratched his back between the quills and tail. "Well, Daisy, lead us the way back to your palace."

"That's not necessary. I can call my guards to pick us up."

"I would like that. Cheese and I would be tired if we went back by foot."

"Chao!"

"So, how will get there? Plane? Limo? Royal express? Horse-drawn carriage? Something else fancy?" Amy questioned.

"Taxicab," the Sarasaland princess simply replied.

The pink hedgehog's excitement washed away. "Well that's dull."

"Just go with it, Ames," Sonic whispered.

She sighed. "Fine. Beats walking anyway."

* * *

In Princess Daisy's castle, she allowed her friend Peach to share her room together. On the highest floor, there was a bedroom for Cheese, Cream, and Amy to sleep in, and another was across the hall set up for Mario and Sonic. Once everyone brushed up and showered, they all tuckered in their beds. As for the red plumber and the blue hedgehog, they had one last chat as they each got comfortable in their beds.

"Hey, Sonic?"

"Yeah, Mario?"

"Did you and Tails ever sleep in the same room together?"

He was caught a bit off guard from the question since it came out of nowhere, but he answered back. "I mean, we used to. When I first took him into my house, it took some time for him to get situated living somewhere that isn't outside or in a cave. The poor guy was a little scared initially, but he got used to it after a week or so. But I will say that I've slept with him in case he had a nightmare or if there was a thunderstorm outside."

"Tails is afraid of thunder?"

"Yeah. Just the sound of it will make him jump. He'd hide his face in my chest and hold on tight to me."

Mario felt bad for the late kitsune. "I see. Well, as long as Luigi didn't retain his Thunderhand, I'm pretty sure Tails is fine right now."

"Thunderhand?"

"Oh, it's a special ability he learned from one of our adventures. But it's not like he can create a thunderstorm. It's more of an electric power-up."

"Ah, gotcha. Anyway, sometimes I sleep with Tails, sometimes he's fine on his own. But I'm not ashamed to admit that we slept in the same room, the same bed no less, a lot of times."

Mario nodded with his hands behind his head, resting on the fluffy pillow.

"What about you? Have you and Luigi shared a room?"

"Ever since we were babies."

"Really?"

"Yeah. We always slept in the same room together, as kids and through our teenage years, even after our parents passed away. As we grew into adulthood, we still stuck together. When we moved to the Mushroom Kingdom, we lived in that small cottage, and we shared a bunk bed. I got the top mattress, and he slept on the bottom. For twenty-six years, our lives were literally together."

"Dang, that's a long time."

"Yeah. Sure is."

"And this is technically the second time we're sharing a room, right?"

"With the first instance being at the Toadley Clinic, you're correct. Although, you spent the full two weeks with me there as I recovered."

"True, but I was fine to stay by your side until you checked out."

"And I appreciate the company."

"No problem, man."

The mustachioed man yawned. "We better get some rest now. Sorry to keep you up late."

"Nah, it's no big deal. See you in the morning, Mario."

 _"Buona notte,"_ he mumbled. **_(6)_**

From across his bed, Sonic watched Mario closed his eyes before he went off to dream land as well.

 _"Tails, I hope you and Luigi are doing well. Good night, little bro. And Mario, I can't thank you enough. You're such a good friend..."_

That wasn't the only thing he had in mind.

 _"...and a great brother, too."_

 ** _END OF CHAPTER_**

* * *

 _Not much of a start for Mario, Sonic, and their friends as they couldn't find the Chaos Emerald, but at least they enjoyed their first night in Sarasaland. I'll try to pick up on the action when I get back to writing this story. (God, going back to school is going to be a blast. *Rolls eyes.)_

 _Anyway, I still want to thank everyone who has supported this story so far from the very beginning. I wish I could be more consistent like I was with Hidden Bravery. However, I can't see that happening with the amount of work I'll have to handle. But who knows? Maybe I'll be lucky to update every other week, maybe I won't. Nevertheless, I'll see you guys next time for another chapter of New Brotherhood. This is TGN, signing off._

* * *

 ** _Post-Chapter Notes:_**

 ** _(1):_** _The first appearance of Sarasaland took place in Super Mario Land, originally for the Game Boy. This was one of the few Mario games I've never played and have little to no knowledge of whatsoever. I had to research on Super Mario Wiki while getting some inspiration from a story called The Two Sides of Luigi by saturn95, one of the best Luigi-centric stories on FFN out there. (I would recommend reading it if you haven't already.)_

 ** _(2):_** _This was the main plot in the sequel to said game above, Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins._

 ** _(3):_** _This took place in the introduction to Mario Power Tennis for the GameCube. I've never played it, but the opening cutscene was both unique and hilarious to watch._

 ** _(4):_** _Think of this as a similar version of Chinatown._

 ** _(5):_** _This is kind of what you would expect during Chinese New Year as this event is associated with the holiday._

 ** _(6):_** _Another Italian phrase right here, and it translates to 'Good night.'_


	27. Ch 26: Pyramid Scheme

_A/N:_ _I'm glad I was able to write this during the first few days of my syllabus week. But this is only the start of the grind. Anyway, let's get back to the story!_

* * *

 _Disclaimer:_ _I don't own Mario or Sonic whatsoever._

* * *

 **Chapter 26:** Pyramid Scheme

Mario lazily felt the sun rays passing through the window. He grabbed the sheets and covered his face to block the light. What he didn't expect was the individual speeding his way into the room.

"Rise and shine!" Sonic bounced in between Mario's legs.

That got him up really quickly as he was surprised at the hedgehog's unexpected wake-up call, let alone him leaping on his mattress. Once Sonic stopped, he stared at the drowsy Italian with a smirk.

"Morning, Sleeping Beauty."

"Ugh, Sonic... What time is it?" Mario rubbed his eyes.

"7:30. Just got back from my morning run," Sonic moved his elbows in a running gesture.

"Mamma Mia," the man groaned. "Why the heck did you wake me up at this time?"

"Come on, man! You know what we're up to. We have to find the Chaos Emerald!"

"We can search for it later. Give me five more minutes," he turned to his side and pulled the covers over his head again.

"Mario, don't make me get you up the hard way," Sonic retained his smile.

"What's the hard way?"

Sonic didn't respond as he got off his bed and went to the hallway to grab something. He picked up a red bucket full of water. The hedgehog quietly walked back until he was at Mario's bedside. By then, he poured the water all over him.

"YEEE!"

Oh, yeah. I forgot to mention it was _freezing cold_. The plumber jumped and fell off his bed, his face landing on the wooden floor.

"Perfect! Now you're out of bed!" Sonic laughed. "You should've seen your face when the ice water got all over you!"

Mario slowly got up and turned to face him with a glare. "Why did you do that?!"

"It's just a prank, man! Sometimes I do it to Tails when he refuses to get up. And boy, the way you reacted was basically the same. Ah, those were the good days."

Mario grabbed his hat off the post and placed it on his head. He walked around the bed to approach the Blue Blur. "Did any of your pranks involve you getting slapped in the face?"

"What are you talking a-"

 ** _*SLAP_** ** _*_**

Mario's bare hand struck Sonic's left cheek as hard as he could. "That's revenge for the ice bath."

"Mmm... Okay. I guess I deserve that," he rubbed his face with a little bit of annoyance. "You sure have some strong hands. Is that why you always defeat Bowser?"

"I guess you could say that."

"Well, you may be robust, but you're not as fast as me. You probably couldn't chase me if you tried."

"You want to bet on that?"

Sonic gave a curious look. "Wait, are you serious?"

"Does my face look like I'm not?"

"Uh, not really."

"Then let's see for ourselves, shall we?"

Sonic blinked then shrugged his shoulders. "Okay, then. But before we- Whoa! Look over there!"

"What?" he turned away as Sonic escaped. "I don't see any- Hey! Get back here!" Mario dashed after him.

Sonic descended to the first floor of the castle, wiping some sweat off his forehead. He looked back to see Mario turn the corner of the stairs and made his toward him.

"Hey, there you are! Took you long enough, but you're still too slow!" he teased by waving a finger.

"You're going to eat those words, Sonic!" Mario shouted.

The hedgehog lifted one leg and clenched his fists, preparing to take off once again. As Mario got a few inches away, the hedgehog left a streak of blue in front of him. It was like an impossible game of tag where Mario was 'it', and he couldn't catch up to his friend since he was the fastest thing alive. But Mario was a competitor. He didn't like to give up that easily, which was a feeling that Sonic also had in his blood. Eventually, the two made it outside as they ran down the steep staircase on the mountainside. They made their way to the oriental garden.

"Come on, Mario! You gotta be faster to catch up to me!" At this point, he started running backwards, showing off in front of Mario.

The plumber was about to say another remark, but he noticed something ahead. "Sonic, look out!"

"Pfft! I tried that on you and it worked. It's not gonna happen to me!"

"No, Sonic, I'm serious! There's a tree behind you!"

"Yeah, and I see a Buzz Bomber waiting to zap you in the butt. Trust me, I know where I'm go- OH, CRAP!"

Sonic realized too late that Mario was telling the truth, and he was heading towards a large magnolia tree. He skidded his shoes against the grass, but his traction was apparently poor that he slid right into the trunk. Mario stopped since he was going at a slower speed. Unfortunately, he witnessed Sonic crashing into the tree, cringing at the sight. He sprinted over to Sonic, lying upside down with his back against the trunk.

"Sonic, are you okay?" Mario helped him up.

"Yeah, I'm alright," Sonic dusted himself. "You could've told me that there was a tree in my way."

"I could have-" he sputtered before lowering his eyebrows. "I told you there was a tree behind you when you were running backwards! If you didn't show off, maybe you would've seen it!"

"Oh, yeah?" the hedgehog mirrored his scowl. "Maybe this wouldn't have happened if you didn't dare to chase me!"

"All because you dumped ice water on me!"

The two went face-to-face at one another, the tip of their noses touching each other as they entered an intense staring contest. But after a few seconds, their expressions changed.

They couldn't hold in their anger, and they laughed it off.

"Oh my god! That was quite the stare you got there, Mario!" Sonic had his hands on his knees.

"I could say the same thing to you! You really looked like you were waiting to pummel someone!"

"Well, I could've done that to you, but it wouldn't be out of ire. I would just joke about it and probably start a tickle fight with you."

"A tickle fight?" Mario chuckled.

"Yeah. I'm a professional at it," he wiggled his fingers.

"Oh, really? Am I going to have to set up another dare just for you to prove something?"

"I mean, do you _seriously_ want me to start one?"

"Hmm, I don't know. You may be the kind of guy who makes people smile, but you don't seem like someone who can tickle really well."

Sonic smirked. "Well, in that case..."

Mario wasn't expected the hedgehog to jump at him a second time. Except now, Sonic dug his fingers and prodded him all over his body. With the plumber on the bottom, he had trouble escaping from the hedgehog tickling him from up top.

He couldn't contain his laughter. "Oh, Sonic! S-Stop that!"

"Heh! Not until you say I'm a professional tickler!"

"O-Okay! Y-You're a p-professional t-tickler! Oh-ho-ho! Please stop!"

"Sounds convincing, Mario. But I'm gonna need you to say that again. I didn't quite get that." Sonic couldn't help but let out a burst of merriment of his own.

"AL-ALRIGHT! YOU'RE PROFESSIONAL AT TICKLING, SONIC!" Mario was on the verge of tearing up.

Sonic finally let him go and helped him on his feet. Mario had a hand over his rotund stomach, wheezing and catching his breath.

"Man, I'm sorry I doubted you there."

"Eh, it's no big deal. That's something I do to Tails whenever I want to put him in a good mood."

"That's one good technique because it definitely worked on me."

"Haha! Thanks!"

"And by the way, I forgive you for pouring ice water on me. I did need to get up early. Plus, I do that to Luigi whenever he couldn't get out of bed, but only on rare occasions since he's more of an early riser than me."

"I mean, I could've woken you up normally. But since you forgive me, I guess we're cool then."

Mario let out a small laugh and rolled his eyes. "Come on, let's get back to the castle. The girls might be wondering where we are."

"Yeah, we should. Oh, and just so you know, you're not a bad runner yourself."

"Thanks, Sonic. But I think the chase proved that I'm nowhere as fast as you."

The hedgehog smirked and gave a thumbs-up. "That's because Sonic's my name, and speed's my game!"

* * *

After a nice meal of breakfast, Daisy suggested traveling to the Birabuto Kingdom. Except this time, the heroes planned to fly on the Toad Express to reach the desert. Daisy and Peach changed into sleeveless miniskirts while Mario wore a short-sleeved red shirt under his overalls, knowing that it was going to be hot there. Along with the Mobians, they each carried a canteen of water to quench their thirst.

When they reached Birabuto, Mario, Sonic, and the others got a good look at the landscape. The ground was mostly sand, sand, and... (you probably guessed it) even more sand. It was quite humid in the sun-drenched kingdom. Hardly any rain fell in this desolate area, and there was not much to take in besides the large pyramids built by the descendants of the Gao tribe. The current leader of this group was King Totomesu.

Totomesu was known as a Gao, a lion-like creature who had a resemblance to sphinxes. He ruled the Birabuto Kingdom under Princess Daisy. During Tatanga's invasion, he was brainwashed and served for the alien enemy. Mario had his encounter with the Gao King where the lion used his fire breath and jump abilities to try and stop him, similar to his many battles against Bowser. **_(1)_** His throne rested inside the largest pyramid, which was where the group was heading.

"Phew, sure is hot out here," Amy held a hand up to block the sun.

Cream took a drink from her canteen. "Is that the pyramid you were talking about, Miss Daisy?"

"This is the one. First, we explain the situation to Totomesu. Then, we'll ask permission if we can search his home for the Chaos Emerald. If that doesn't work out, we can explore the desert to see if it's anywhere in this kingdom. Otherwise, we'll have to search in one of the other realms, either in Muda or Easton."

The Gao guards outside the entrance acknowledged the familiar faces of Daisy, Peach, and Mario. They kindly greeted them and their friends before allowing entry inside the pyramid. The heroes walked down one of the hallways. Gold-plated bricks ran along the sides of the corridors with hieroglyphics written on them. Eventually, they arrived at the throne room where the Gao ruler laid on his pedestal. He opened his eyes when he heard footsteps.

"Ah, Princess Daisy. What a wonderful surprise to see you," he bowed his head.

Daisy curtsied as her response. "Thanks, Toto. How is Birabuto?"

"Oh, the usual. Hot, sunny, and peaceful, just how I enjoy life here in this kingdom."

"Great to hear that."

"And I see you have some visitors with you. Welcome back, Princess Peach."

"Pleasure to see you again, Your Highness."

"And Mario. My goodness, it feels like eons since you've last visited Sarasaland."

The plumber removed his hat and bowed down. "It sure has, King Totomesu. Glad to see you, too."

"And who are these people?"

"This is Sonic, Amy, Cream, and Cheese," Mario introduced. "They are our new friends from a place called Mobius."

The Gao stood up on all fours and walked down to properly greet them in person. "It's certainly nice to meet you, my animal friends. Anyone who's an associate to Mario or the princesses is welcome to Birabuto and my home pyramid. As you already know, my name is King Totomesu. But you can call me Toto for short. No need to add the 'King' part."

Sonic gave a wave and smirked. "Nice mane, Toto."

"Thank you. Now, what brings you all here?"

"We're looking for something called the Chaos Emerald," Amy told him.

"Chaos Emerald? Never heard of that before."

"That's because it's only found on our home," Cream clarified.

"Okay. But why are you trying to find it here?"

"You see, Sonic and his friends got sucked into a black hole when their archnemesis tried to attack them. They warped here a few weeks ago. Daisy, Peach, and I found Sonic when we were defending against Bowser, and we rescued the other three from his castle. Now, we're on the hunt for the Chaos Emeralds because they apparently got sent here as well. We need to collect all seven of them so we could power up a teleporter that Professor E. Gadd built so they can go home."

The king understood Mario's anecdote. "That makes sense."

"The professor also gave us a detector to locate the general locations of the Emeralds. And it found one here in Sarasaland," said Peach.

"I see. But do you know if it's in Birabuto or one of the other kingdoms?"

"We checked Chai last night, but there wasn't a clear sign of it anywhere," Daisy shook her head. "I suggested checking here next. But it's possible it may not be here."

"Well, in the case that it is found in Birabuto, you travelers are more than welcome to search the pyramids and the land beyond."

"That's what I like to hear!" exclaimed Sonic.

"We really appreciate it, Your Highness," Mario gave his thanks.

Just then, a Gao servant rushed into the room. "King Totomesu! I have a news report!"

"Easy there, Lyle. What is the problem?"

"There was an intrusion at one of the pyramids near the southern oasis!"

"An intrusion?" Toto's eyes narrowed. "Who dares to violate the land?"

"The guards couldn't tell. They only saw a shadow of the figure, but they couldn't identify the trespasser. However, they did notice a bunch of goons near the same vicinity. They claimed there was a Goomba, a Paratroopa, a Shy Guy, and a Magikoopa. Does that sound familiar to you, by chance?"

Mario easily knew who they were. "Kamek and the Elite Trio."

"What are they doing here?" Cream thought.

"I bet they were sent to find the Chaos Emerald!" deduced Amy.

"Then we better get to it before they do!" Sonic clenched his hands.

"The outcome of the Emerald being in this pyramid would be serendipitous. But if it's not, you better hurry towards the pyramid of where they are," Totomesu instructed.

"I think we should split up into two groups. We can cover more ground that way. Here's the plan. Sonic and I will go over to the southern pyramid and stop Kamek and the Elite Trio. And maybe, we'll find who's been robbing the place. Everyone else, you stay here and search throughout Totomesu's pyramid. If you can't find it, go into one of the other pyramids."

"Are you sure about this, Mario?" Peach asked.

"I'm positive. Besides, I've handled those guys plenty of times earlier. And who knows? If we're lucky, we might find the Emerald there."

"Lyle, I want you to guide them to the pyramid of where you and the others saw the incident."

"You got it, sir. Mario, Sonic, you can hop on my back to make the trip quicker."

"Thanks, but I'm better off by running."

"Are you sure?"

"Trust him," Mario whispered to him. "He's a _lot_ faster than you think."

"Alright then. If you say so."

"Be careful out there," warned Daisy.

"We'll be fine," Sonic winked. "I'm ready to go, Mario!"

The plumber nodded back before they departed. "Good luck, you guys!"

"Same to you!" Amy replied. She and the others watched them run down the hallway until they were gone. By then, the girls began their hunt inside Totomesu's pyramid.

* * *

After he dismissed Lyle to return to his post, the Gao King obliged to help them with their quest for the Chaos Emerald. Along the way, they reached the topmost room since they checked the rest of the pyramid. Totomesu got to know more about Amy, Cream, and Cheese. He also learned that their nemesis, Dr. Eggman, joined an alliance with Bowser.

"So, what exactly does this Dr. Eggman character look like?"

"He's a very tall man with scrawny arms and legs, but he has a gigantic stomach, a lot plumper than Mario's," Amy described.

"And why is he very interested in the Chaos Emeralds?"

"He uses them so he can rule the world," explained Cream. "He also makes his robots big and strong with their powers."

"But really, the main objective is that he wants complete control over our planet, with or without the Chaos Emeralds. Still, they're irreplaceable and hard to find since they scatter around every time after someone uses them."

"Sonic mentioned to us that he's one of the few people who can manipulate the powers and transform into a Super form," Peach added.

"A Super form? Is that anything like Mario with the power-ups in our land?"

"Sort of," Amy shrugged. "Sonic becomes more powerful, faster, and tougher than he normally does. His fur also turns gold, and his quills point up in his Super Sonic state. He's saved Mobius many times whenever he possessed the Emeralds' powers, but he's also capable without them, too."

Totomesu was intrigued. "That does sound super to me. I can see why he's a hero from where you live."

"And we can see why Mario's a hero in the Mushroom Kingdom, or just about anywhere in your world. He did save us from Bowser's Castle."

"I didn't know that. Did that nasty Koopa King capture you?"

"It was that scary magician who put us into the dungeon after we got warped there," Cream whimpered.

"Ah, Kamek. Just as conniving as Bowser."

"And he's out there with the Elite Trio," Peach put a hand on her cheek. "I remember the times he tried to impersonate me just to fool Mario and Luigi."

"We don't have to worry about him or the others, at least. Mario and Sonic said they'll take care of them," reminded Daisy.

"I hope they're having better luck than we are because I don't think the Chaos Emerald is in here," complained Amy.

"No need to fret. We'll just check one of the neighboring pyramids," said Totomesu.

"Okay. Let's get going then."

* * *

Sonic, Mario, and Lyle made their way near the oasis and the southern pyramid that the Gao talked about. Near the entrance were two more Gaos, except they were stuck in a net against the base of the wall.

"Wow, you weren't kidding when you said he was fast."

"I told you," Mario hopped off his back.

Lyle then realized what was in front of him. "Scout! Leo!"

"Lyle! Mario! Glad to see you here!" Scout was relieved.

"What the heck happened to you?"

"We'll explain later," said Leo. "Could you get us out of here, please?" Mario and Sonic abided and tore down the trap. "Whew, thanks."

"You're welcome," Mario nodded.

"Sonic, these are a few of the Gaos who guard the pyramids in this region of Birabuto. The one on the left is named Scout, and the one on the right is Leo."

The hedgehog approached them. "What's up, Gaos? Heh, get it, Mario? Instead of 'guys', I said 'Gaos' because that's what they are."

"Yeah, I got it," Mario rolled his eyes.

"Anyway, we're glad you guys came," Leo sighed. "We were standing guard for a while until we heard a strange noise. When we looked around, something fast came rushing by, and we got stunned!"

"Fast, huh? Well, this guy can't be faster than me!"

"Did you manage to see what the person looked like?" Mario questioned.

"Unfortunately, no," Scout shook his head. "But not only that, we saw some of Bowser's troops approach the pyramid, as if things didn't get any worse. We tried to fend them off, but the Magikoopa used his magic to trap us. And now they've infiltrated the inside along with the mysterious guy!"

"That's not good at all," Lyle groused.

"Don't worry. Mario and I will handle these clowns. Just leave the work to us."

"You sure you don't need our help?"

"I think we're fine, Leo," Mario appreciated the offer. Just then, he heard a beeping sound from his overall pocket. He grabbed the Emerald Detector and saw that the antenna was blinking in green.

"Mario," Sonic stared up at him. "You know what this means?"

He did. "The Chaos Emerald is nearby."

"Chaos Emerald?" Leo and Scout were confused.

"It's only important to us. We'll try to find it, along with the bad guys inside."

"Alright. We're counting on you then!"

"Kick some butt for us!"

"And I hope you find the Chaos Emerald soon!"

"Thanks, guys! Come on, Mario! Let's get 'em!"

"Right!" With that, Mario and Sonic headed inside the pyramid.

* * *

Meanwhile, Bowser's minions made their way to the pyramidion after they've failed to find the Chaos Emerald in the lower levels. The four thoroughly searched through the bedroom of the Gao guards. They checked underneath the beds, in the nightstands, and behind the antiques and furnishings. There were a few sarcophagi standing against the walls.

"Urgh, how much longer do we have to keep searching?" Private Goomp moped.

"Yeah. The inside of this pyramid is hotter than I expected. There's no air conditioning in here!" Corporal Paraplonk complained.

"How do these lions even beat this weather? My robe is making me sweat like a pig," Sergeant Guy rubbed the side of his head.

"I suggest all of you should shut your traps and stop complaining," Kamek commanded. "You're lucky the boss appointed you three for the job instead of Jr. or the Koopalings."

Private Goomp coughed from the dust that spread in the air. "I rather tidy up than die in this heat."

"Okay then. You can clean up the castle after we find the Emerald."

Paraplonk glared at the Goomba. "Nice going, idiot. We're going to be on maid duty when we get back."

"At least the boss has air conditioning in his home!"

"And it's better to lounge in the cool air rather than working in it!"

"Guys, stop fighting before Kamek whips up some spell or tries to abandon us here," Sergeant muttered.

Suddenly, the underlings heard a sound. A weird, squeaky sound. They looked around them, but they couldn't find out where it came from.

"Did you hear that?"

"I did. What was that?"

"My ears tell me that it's coming from outside the bedroom."

"What are you babbling about now?" Kamek sounded irritated. "Keep searching!"

Private Goomp gulped. "I've got a bad feeling about this." The others agreed with his statement.

* * *

"We've got to be close to the Chaos Emerald. The receiver is blinking yellow!"

"Still no sign of Bowser's minions. If they weren't on the lower floors, they must be at the highest part of the pyramid."

Mario and Sonic reached the bedroom and got a sneak peek of what's inside. There they saw Kamek, Private Goomp, Corporal Paraplonk, and Sergeant Guy invading the space.

"There they are!" Mario murmured as he gazed down at the device. "And look! The signal is red! We're really close!"

"They better not have found it."

As if it was coincidental, Kamek pulled out a stone drawer and paused for a second. He reached a claw inside and grabbed something shiny and yellow.

The heroes' eyes widened. "The Chaos Emerald!"

"Well, well, well... Master Bowser and Dr. Eggman should be content about this. And out of all places, it's in a pathetic bedside drawer."

"We're too late!" grumbled Mario.

"What do we do?" queried Sonic.

"I can think of two options. We either confront them and tell them to leave for trespassing..."

"Sounds boring."

"...or fight them until they run off."

"Now that's a better plan!"

"Okay. On my count. Ready? One-"

Sonic's impatience caused him to dash at the trio, spin dashing into the Shy Guy, Paratroopa, and Goomba by surprise. They screamed at the ambush and fell into a dogpile. Mario, who watched him, planted his palm on his forehead.

"Mamma Mia..."

"Ouch... That was just as bad as the hammer," Paraplonk's eyes spun in circles.

"And I just got a new mask," Sergeant moaned.

Kamek turned around and spotted the Blue Blur. "Hey! It's you!"

"Long time no see, Wizard Pants!"

"The name is Kamek! You should know this by now!"

"Really? That's your name? I had no idea!" he feigned innocence.

"Grambi, please help us now," Mario pinched his nose in frustration.

"Enough of your shenanigans! I'm going to take you back to Master Bowser's Castle!"

"I like to see you try!" Sonic smirked.

Mario came rushing in to stand by his side. "Did you have to jump the gun again?" Sonic silently replied with a simple shrug.

Kamek let out an annoyed groan. "Mario! I see you've returned after your injury."

"Yes, I have. Tell the doctor that he's got guts to try and kill Sonic."

"You're lucky that you've had experience getting knocked out by Bullet Bills. I'm sure the rodent would've been dead if he was the one who got hit."

"Back off, Cone Hat! I'm a hedgehog!"

"Oh, really? I had no idea."

"Don't copy me! Now give us the Emerald!"

"You half-witted porcupine! We don't have it!"

"I told you, I'm a HEDGEHOG! And don't play games! We saw you take it!"

"Sonic, let's just beat him already!"

"That's what you think, plumber!"

Kamek raised his wand to cast a spell, but something strange happened. The sound that the Elite Trio heard came up, and everyone noticed it. Suddenly, one of the sarcophagi opened up, and a figure popped out. It ran up to Kamek and knocked the Chaos Emerald out of his possession. Somehow, he crashed through the wall and went flying outside. The same person also threw out the Elite Trio as they cried out in despair. When they were gone, Mario was astonished at who appeared on the scene.

"Nabbit!" **_(2)_**

"Nabbit?" Sonic reiterated.

It was a purple rabbit with a white handkerchief that was similar to Bowser Jr.'s, orange shoes, white gloves, and a beige-colored bag with a Mushroom insignia on it. In his other hand, he carried the yellow Chaos Emerald and stuffed it in his sack. He made another squeak, indicating a jolly chuckle before he rushed out of the room and down the pyramid.

"Hey! You get back here!"

Sonic ran out to chase the speedster. Nabbit's taunts made him more frustrated, along with the fact that he was somehow inches away from the Rabbit. They made their way out of the pyramid, passing the three Gaos who watched them sprint out of the entrance. Then, Nabbit made another squeak before hopping away, leaping over the oasis. Sonic screeched his shoes in the sand. Yet again, though, he failed to stop and splashed into the water.

"HELP! SOMEBODY HELP ME! I'M DROWNING!"

Mario finally reached the outside before he saw Sonic in the watering hole. He heard him begging for help, but he came to an abrupt stop when he realized the situation.

"Um, Sonic?"

After Mario got his attention, the hedgehog realized his surroundings. He was sitting in shallow water, flailing his arms way above the surface. Slightly embarrassed, but mostly relieved, he blinked twice and exhaled a small sigh.

"Well, it's lucky I fell in the kiddie pool. **_(3)_** Can you help me up, Mario?"

The man waded towards Sonic and helped him out of the water. The Gaos ran over to check on them.

"You alright, Sonic?" asked Lyle.

"Yeah, I'm fine," he shook the water off his fur. Mario flinched when some droplets flew in his face. "But man, I'm so mad right now. That weird creature took the Chaos Emerald. And we were so close to it!"

"Was that the purple guy who you were chasing?" Leo assumed.

"Yeah, it was that jerk! He must have been the mystery intruder you were talking about."

"Are you going to chase after him?" Scout wondered.

"We have no choice but to chase Nabbit," Mario told him. "But while we do that, find Bowser's minions. Nabbit knocked them outside the pyramid, so they must've landed somewhere. Take them to King Totomesu and ask him what to do with them."

"You got it, Mario," Leo replied.

"Lyle, I'll need you for transportation again."

"No problem!" he waited for him to climb on.

"Let's go, Sonic! We have a Rabbit to catch."

"An _obnoxious_ Rabbit, you mean. I can't wait until I get my hands on him!" Sonic clenched a fist. When they were ready, they set off in the direction where Nabbit escaped.

It had been a long time since Mario last saw him, not since Luigi and his Toad friends helped him rescue Princess Peach in one of his last journeys. Now, he's on another quest to track Nabbit down, this time in pursuit of the stolen Chaos Emerald with Sonic. Regardless, it was going to be tough to stop the masked bandit.

 ** _END OF CHAPTER_**

* * *

 _Here, I introduce the first appearance of Nabbit in this story as I think he is one of the unique characters Nintendo has created in the Mario series. I wish he was integrated into spinoffs or other games, such as Mario Kart 8, but we got stuck with Baby Rosalina and Pink Gold Peach. Anyway, he's on the loose with the third Chaos Emerald. Can Mario and Sonic recover it from his hands? And how's Kamek and the Elite Trio after they got waylaid?_

 _Stay tuned for another chapter of New Brotherhood. Please review down below, point out any errors I need to fix, follow/favorite for more updates, and I'll see you next time for Ch. 27! __This is TGN, signing off._

* * *

 ** _Post-Chapter Notes:_**

 ** _(1):_** _King Totomesu was the World 1 Boss of Super Mario Land after he was stuck under Tatanga's control. His fight is similar to Bowser and his clones in Super Mario Bros._

 ** _(2):_** _Nabbit appeared as an enemy in New Super Mario Bros. U and New Super Luigi U, but he is a playable character in the latter. He also appeared in other games, such as Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam and Mario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games._

 ** _(3):_** _This part is reminiscent of a scene from the Sonic X episode, 'Cracking Knuckles'._


	28. Ch 27: Dag-Nabbit!

_A/N:_ _Is it December yet? Obviously, no, but I want it to be so I don't have to be in school. Also, I'm uploading this on my birthday today. However, it only reminds me that I'm another year older, and all I can think to myself is, 'Fuck. Where has the time gone by?'_

 _Anyway, I want to thank ViolaHarmony, FairyTalePrincess16, Steel Fairy, Infinite's Ruby, and Wolf154657 for reviewing the last chapter. And everyone else, I appreciate the support since day one. Let's get back to the story!_

* * *

 _Disclaimer:_ _If you think that I own Mario and/or Sonic, then you're crazy._

* * *

 **Chapter 27:** Dag-Nabbit!

 _Location: The Overthere_

Luigi was sitting on the edge of the clouds, the same spot he was in before he met Tails. He gazed up at the light blue sky with the sun shining down on his face. His neutral face, to be specific. With a stoical frown, he couldn't wipe away the memory of Mario sacrificing himself and getting struck by that Bullet Bill Eggman shot at Sonic. It had been a few weeks since he and Tails confronted Grambi about this issue and was frustrated that the Nimbi King might have been holding onto a secret that they don't know. As the days went by, he tried to conceal his concern with a terrible feeling lurking in his stomach that his older brother was not safe down there.

It didn't work as Tails read Luigi's body language like a book. Similar to the times he spent with Sonic, he had his brotherly instincts fly in that helped him realize that something was bothering the other's mind. Likewise, Sonic had managed to do the same whenever Tails tried to hide his feelings. In this case, the kitsune angel still knew that Luigi was yearning. He was praying that Mario had recovered and didn't die. Since there was no indication or word that proved his wish came true, the green-hatted spirit didn't know what to do.

Tails spun his namesakes to reach his friend by his side. As he landed on the soft ground, his tails drooped from behind. "Luigi?" he tried to get his attention.

The man blinked before acknowledging him. "Hey, Tails," he replied without turning his head.

"Luigi, you can't always keep worrying about Mario." That time, he looked over at the fox. "Trust me, I understand why you feel this way. But if Grambi said that he'll be fine, then maybe you should listen to him. He _is_ a wise man, and usually, he says a lot of things that are true."

Luigi returned to his dejected state as he stared down at his lap. "I'm sorry, Tails. I've always had these kinds of problems throughout my life. I'm always unsure of things, I'm not confident, and I tend to be scared of the worst-case scenario."

"How?"

"You know how I told you about Mario going on his own adventures most of the time?"

"Yeah?"

"And I would stay home alone until he gets back?"

Tails cautiously nodded his head.

"Well... Every time I wait, I dream of a terrible moment that someone comes knocking on our front door... and it's not Mario. It would be a police officer, or rather, a police Toad. As I dreadfully think of all the reasons for why he would be standing on our porch, he would go up to me and say..." He choked on his words for a second. "...he would tell me, 'Your brother is not coming back.' It'd be just like when we were living in our old home, and the police came to address us that our parents passed away...

"Since then, I was always scared whenever he goes somewhere, just about every place. Even when he went on vacation to Isle Delfino, I said that I was mad because he didn't invite me. But truthfully, I was too distressed since I saved him from King Boo that I didn't want him to leave my side. But he did, and I faked my jealousy when he returned. All because I was selfish, selfish to make sure that he never got separated from me. But, I eventually learned by myself that we can't always live together forever. It took me twenty-six years to figure that out. And to this day, he still doesn't know about it."

Tails frowned. "Why didn't you tell him when we got to visit him?"

"I don't know. I really don't know," Luigi shook his head.

"Well, I can't say that you're not the only one who's selfish."

"What does that mean?"

Tails sat down beside him, hanging his legs over the edge of the clouds. "There were some moments where I always wanted Sonic to stick with me forever. And like you with Mario, I may feel scared whenever Sonic's gone or when I think that something bad has happened to him. I couldn't imagine what life would be if he wasn't with me. Heck, I don't know if I would still be alive if he didn't take me in as his little brother. Now that I'm here though, the only thing I can do is believe that he'll do what he does all the time: run."

"Run?"

"As time goes by, I want him to keep running. I want him to do the same things he loves and what he has done with or without me before I came here. Don't take this the wrong way, but maybe you should do the same with Mario."

Luigi shifted his gaze back to the sky. "Is it that hard to let go?"

"I would say so," he copied his actions. "It takes time and patience, but I'm sure you'll get through it. And I'm sure Mario and Sonic will be fine."

Luigi removed his hat and brushed through his hair. When he put it back on, he turned to the fox. "Thanks, Tails," he smiled.

"For what?"

"Making me feel a bit better."

Tails returned the grin. "You're welcome, Luigi. I think-" Just then, his Brotherhood Bracelet made a sound, similar to Luigi's. "Oh no."

"What's going on now?"

Tails tinkered with his device and saw a video on the screen. The two saw Sonic chasing after a purple creature, and the latter hopped away. What followed that was the hedgehog landing in the oasis before Mario helped him up. By then, the heroes went off into the desert.

"Tails?"

He looked up at the plumber. "Yeah?"

"It did it again."

"I know. Do you know who that guy Sonic was chasing?"

"His name is Nabbit. Mario, our Toad friends, and I ran into him a couple of times back then. He's known for stealing items."

The fox was dumbfounded. "But why were they going after him?"

"I'm clueless. And this time, your bracelet had the Sibling Signal to go off."

"There has to be more to this signal than what Grambi explained. But what?"

"I wish I knew."

Assuming that Grambi probably won't help them, the angels returned to the shrine to rest for the day. As they walked down the hallways, they passed by the Nimbi King's chambers. Little did they know that a discreet conversation between him and his daughter took place inside.

"I don't understand wherefore thou won't explain the truth behind the bracelets," Luvbi criticized.

"Luvbi, this is not thy business to handle or deal withal at all," his back faced his daughter.

"All I'm saying is that they're going to find out sooner or later. And it probably won't art coming out of thy mouth."

"What are thou insinuating?" Grambi questioned as he turned around. "Thou better not tell them thyself!"

"Well, how else are they going to know an thou won't speak the truth?!" her eyes narrowed.

"Luvbi, as thy father, I demand thou to not spill any words to either Master Luigi or Master Tails. I already gave them an opportunity to art withal their brothers for a short while, and I'm happy they got the chance to doeth so."

"And the fact that thou won't explain the Sibling Signal makes this any better? Wherefore build it an thou're not going to let them returneth to the real world down below?"

Grambi's eyes popped out before his thick eyebrows slanted in a cross expression. "Because that's how fate works! They chose to sacrifice their lives to save them! And as anon as their games ended, thither is nay turning back! Their reunion wilt art a one-time thing. I cannot allow them to returneth to their respective homes, let alone the real world! End of story!"

"Unbelievable! Thou and mother hie around pretending to pose me as thy own daughter just to hide the Pure Heart from that evil beast, Bonechill. Yet thou two still manage to love and care for me as we spent our entire lives together! And now, thou art foisting the opposite to both sets of brothers? Doth the word 'family' not mean anything to thou?!"

Grambi was extremely irate and offended by Luvbi's comment. "Enough! Thou art grounded, young lady! Hie to thy room right now!"

"What?! Thou're grounding me because thou won't explain thy little secret?!"

"I'm punishing thou for thy back talk. This is mine problem, not yours."

"It wouldn't art a problem an thou either told them or didn't build those watches in the first placeth."

Grambi remained silent before he couldn't bear to look at his daughter. "Just leave, Luvbi. Please."

Her facial expression hardly changed. She wasn't mad at her father. She was frustrated. "I know thou're a great man, Father. But this is the complete opposite of thyself. An I were thou, I would tell them as anon as possible. In thy case, an thou're not ready, then fine. I understand. But they deserve to know."

She quietly exited Grambi's bedroom and shut the door. Feeling upset that he shouted at his cherished child, the old Nimbi fluttered to his chalice and viewed the image in the water's reflection. It showed Mario, Sonic, and Lyle in the Birabuto Desert. With a deep sigh, Grambi was thinking about his prior actions. Looking back, what he did would be considered unacceptable to the Overthere. But in his heart, he wanted something more.

"Luigi, Tails... I'll let you go when the time is right."

* * *

 _Location: Birabuto Kingdom_

Over an hour passed by since Mario, Sonic, and Lyle left to the southern region of Birabuto. After searching for the Chaos Emerald in the other pyramids, the girls were upset that they couldn't find it anywhere.

"Well, we checked everywhere, and it's not here," Amy huffed before taking a drink of water.

"Do you think Mr. Mario and Mr. Sonic have found it?" Cream wondered.

"Maybe. But there's no way of knowing," Peach fretted.

Daisy saw something from far away. "Hey, isn't that Scout and Leo coming our way?" The Gaos made it over to the group with some people lying on their backs.

"Scout, Leo. What are you doing here?" Totomesu asked.

"Sir! Mario and Sonic have found these guys who infiltrated the pyramid!" Scout answered.

"It's Kamek and the Elite Trio," Daisy recognized.

"Where's Sonic and Mario?"

"They're with Lyle chasing after the first intruder," said Leo. "It was some guy named Nabbit."

"I know who he is," Peach remembered. "Mario had run into him at one point."

"They said that he stole the Chaos Emerald."

"What?! They found it?!" Amy's eyes widened.

"I mean, they must have before that rabbit took it away. That's why they're pursuing him."

"Where are they heading towards?" Cream queried.

"Down south," assumed Scout. "If they get far enough, they might end up in the Muda Kingdom."

"Do you think we should fly over there to see if we can reach them?" Daisy looked at Peach.

"If it means to get there faster, we should probably board the Toad Express."

"What do we do we these guys?" Leo reminded everyone of Bowser's minions.

"We'll keep in the dungeon at my pyramid. Scout, Leo, take them over there right now," Totomesu ordered.

"Yes, sir!" the Gao servants ran off.

"As for you folks, I hope you'll retrieve your prize soon."

"We appreciate you letting us search around here."

"It is my pleasure, Amy. I hope you and your friends return home safely as soon as possible."

"We hope so, too. Thank you, King Toto," Cream curtsied while Cheese gave an honorable bow.

"Take care of Birabuto for us."

"As you wish, Princess Daisy. Good luck to you all!"

As the Gao King strolled back to his pyramid, the group returned to the Birabuto Airport and hopped aboard the plane, making a quick flight to Muda.

* * *

 _Location: Muda Kingdom_

Mario, Sonic, and Lyle reached the border between Muda and Birabuto that overlooked the capital city, located near one of the most populous beaches in the kingdom. They could see the clear, blue water sparkling under the hot sun.

"I'm afraid this is as far as I can go. Us Gaos are not the tropical type, and we usually can't handle these kinds of conditions," Lyle pouted.

"That's understandable. Thanks for giving me a ride. Sorry you have to backtrack all the way to Totomesu's pyramid."

"Oh, don't worry! I had a nice run, and at least I got some exercise out of it. I'm glad I could help out as much as I can. And it was nice meeting you, Sonic."

"You too, buddy. You're a pretty fast lion, I must say," he grinned.

"Thanks! Well, I wish you the best of luck! See you later!"

Mario and Sonic carefully slid down the steep mountain until they reached the base. They entered the city of Yurania where most of the inhabitants were these seahorse-like creatures called Yurarins and Yurarin Boos, the latter of which could breathe fire. **_(1)_** Besides them, a couple of friendly humans roamed the city as well. They decided to ask the people if they've seen Nabbit. After a few minutes, the pedestrians they've met didn't have a clue. The plumber and the hedgehog weren't going to give up, so they kept looking for assistance.

"Excuse me," Mario approached a couple of Yurarins. One was wearing a blue baseball hat, and the other was holding a brown purse. "Have you seen a purple rabbit with a mask and a bag somewhere?"

"Oh my goodness! It's Mario of the Mushroom Kingdom!" the female seahorse squealed. "I'm a big fan of your heroism!"

"Um, thanks. It's no big deal, really."

"Are you kidding me? You're an amazing hero!"

"Please excuse my little sister," the other Yurarin stepped in. "She just really admires you."

"That's okay. I'm happy to make someone's day."

"My name's Reef, and this is Coral."

"Nice to meet you. This is my friend, Sonic the Hedgehog."

"What's up, guys?"

"I've never seen a hedgehog like you before," said Coral.

"Oh, that's because I'm from another world."

"Really? Where?" Reef asked.

"A place called Mobius. You probably never heard of it. But we're trying to find this guy who stole something important that'll help me and my other friends get home."

"Oh, so that's why you asked us that question, Mario. What was it you said? A purple rabbit with a mask?"

"Yeah. And his name is Nabbit."

"I don't think I've seen him anywhere," Coral replied.

"Neither do I," Reef had the same thought. None of them noticed, but there was a figure creeping around a building corner, his eyes planted at the party.

"What exactly are you searching for?"

"A Chaos Emerald. There's seven of them in total, and Nabbit stole a yellow one. They look like any normal gem, but they're very unique in my world."

"Hmm... Well, if we end up finding it, we'll gladly report it to you."

"We really appreciate-" Mario paused when he saw something barely disappear behind the Yurarins.

"Is something wrong?" Coral raised an eyebrow.

"I... I thought I saw someone looking at us."

Suddenly, the same figure ran up to the group and slid into everyone, causing them to fall to the ground. In the process, he stole Coral's purse and Reef's hat. A squeak followed after that before he ran off into the city.

"Ow..." Sonic rubbed his head. "I hate that rabbit."

Coral gasped. "Oh no! He stole my purse!"

"And my hat, too!" yelled Reef.

Mario helped the Yurarins get up. "We'll go get them back for you."

"You will?"

"That's a promise. Let's-a-go, Sonic!"

"You bet! See you guys later!"

Speeding off in Nabbit's direction, they saw him stealing more items in the city, including jewelry, knickknacks, power-ups, all sorts of items. Mario and Sonic raced past the crowded streets to catch up to him. Nabbit saw them and started running away. He jumped off a canopy, a hotel balcony, and several tables at an outdoor restaurant, disrupting the customers' lunch. Drinks and food flew everywhere, but the heroes avoided all that mess.

Mario triple-jumped to one of the roofs to get the high ground. Hopping from building to building, he tried to stop Nabbit. However, the rabbit hopped down to the ground where Sonic was running.

"Damn it! He's in front of you, Sonic!"

"I see him!"

With a determined face, he prepared to perform a spin dash. Leaping in the air with his arms and legs stretched out, he curled into a ball and shot straight at the bandit. Nabbit looked over his shoulder and panicked. He jumped onto the trunk of a taxi and soared to the right onto a different roof. Sonic's spin dash dented the taxi which promptly caused it to stop and scared the passengers inside. The driver rolled down his window and shouted at him.

"Sorry, dude! Didn't mean to wreck your ride!"

Mario jumped down to rejoin his side. They hurried over to Muda Beach where they saw Nabbit rushing past several beachgoers. He stole their coolers, beverages, personal belongings, and even their umbrellas.

"How the hell does he manage to fit all that into his bag?!" Sonic was bewildered.

"Don't ask me. I'm not the one who wrote this up!"

"Wrote what up?"

"Never mind. After him!"

Mario and Sonic excused themselves whenever they accidentally ran into someone while chasing after Nabbit. They made it to one of the dangerous parts of the beach. An array of rocks formed a jetty, reaching out from the coastline where the roughest waters collided into the stone structure. Nabbit smoothly hopped onto the jagged stones without slipping as if he was standing on carpet. Mario and Sonic risked the dangers as the waves crashed towards the jetty. Nabbit stopped at the edge before he turned around. He chuckled and waved his free hand at them.

"What's he doing?" Sonic got closer to him.

"I don't know. We're almost there!"

Mario was about to eat those words because Nabbit turned his back to them and jumped into the ocean.

"NO!"

Sonic dove right at him, but his hands were barely out of reach. He landed roughly on the rocks as he saw Nabbit splash into the water. To make matters worse, he was swimming to an island, miles away from the edge of Muda.

"Ugh... You've got to be kidding me!" Sonic grumbled, pounding his fist.

Mario was disappointed that they couldn't stop him, but then he became frightened at what happened next. "Sonic, look out!"

"Huh?"

To his right, a large wave came over in his direction. His eyes enlarged with fear.

"AAHHH!"

Sonic hung onto tightly to the rocks, and the wave crashed into him. When it was over, Sonic became drenched in water. He was both glad and lucky he didn't get pushed off.

"Man, I hate being wet. This is the second time it's happened today." He shook his fur before realizing that he was alone. His friend wasn't in front of him. "Mario? Mario?!" He paused and viewed the other side of the jetty. "Oh no... Did the wave wash him up?"

He really hoped not.

"MARIO!"

There was dead silence aside from the thunderous waves. But to his surprise, something emerged from the surface. He was gasping desperately for air.

"Mario!"

"Sonic! Get off the rocks now before another wave comes at you!"

"What about you?!"

"I can swim to shore!"

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah!" he coughed up some of the saltwater. "I'll be fine!"

At one point, Sonic wanted to jump in and help Mario swim to shore. But he was a little hesitant because he wasn't a good swimmer. At the very least, some of his anxiety went away as he watched Mario fight the current. It wasn't easy, but Mario had been in trickier situations with water. And he appeared to be okay every time. Right now, Sonic saw that he hardly struggled. He slightly envied him for being brave to swim in deep water.

As soon as Mario got to the shallow area, he was able to stand up and walk to the coastline. He trudged as far as he could away from the tides. Later, he fell onto his hands and knees. Wheezing heavily, Mario hacked up more saltwater. He eventually caught his breath before he rotated and laid flat on his back on the hot, dry sand. The brim of his hat covered his eyes as the sun partially dried off his clothes.

Sonic made his way over to the resting plumber. He stood by his head. "Mario, you okay?"

He lifted his cap to see the hedgehog. "Yeah. I am. Thanks for asking."

"I mean, I'm glad you were able to get out of there safely. I wish I could've helped out."

"It's okay. You told me that swimming is not one of your strong suits. I don't want you to put pressure on yourself."

"Still, I could've done something."

"I appreciate the thought, at least." He let out a loud sigh, mostly because he was still catching his breath. "I'm sorry we couldn't get the Chaos Emerald from Nabbit."

"Hey, we're not gonna give up on that. We'll definitely get him."

"But how? You saw him going to that island. How are we going to get there?"

Sonic didn't have an answer to his question. However, both of them heard some familiar voices.

"Mario!"

"Sonic!"

Mario sat up and turned around. He and Sonic saw their friends running over to them.

"Peach! Daisy!"

"Amy! Cream! Cheese! What are you all doing here?"

"We thought you would be here in Muda if Lyle was taking you down south. Scout and Leo told us that you were chasing after Nabbit who took the Chaos Emerald," Daisy explained.

"So we rode on the plane to travel in hopes of running into you," Amy added.

"And we did find you!" Cream smiled.

"Chao Chao!"

"Do you know where Nabbit is?" inquired Peach.

"We do. Sonic and I were pursuing him through Yurania as he was pilfering people's items. We failed to stop him, and he swam towards the island over there," Mario pointed.

"That's Yurarin Isle," Daisy identified.

"Oh, dear," Peach held her cheek. "That's so far away."

"That's exactly what I thought!" exclaimed Sonic.

"If anything, we're going to need a boat to reach that island," presumed Amy.

"Why don't we take my Cruiser?" suggested Daisy. **_(2)_**

"You have your own cruise ship?"

"Yeah! It's by the dock in Yurania."

"Peach has a plane, and you have a cruise ship... You princesses and your transportation, I'm so jealous!"

"Let's go on right now!" Cream was excited.

"Hold on. I have a question."

"Yes, Sonic?"

"Is your boat very sturdy? It's not gonna sink into the water, will it?"

Daisy laughed. "Don't worry, Sonic! My cruiser is in perfect conditions. It'll take us to the island there in no time. The faster we get there, the faster we can find Nabbit and snatch the Emerald from him!"

"Alright. But there better be life jackets and lifeboats on there."

"There are. My retainers and I make sure that it's 100% safe."

"If you say so."

"Mario, I just realized that you're soaking wet. What happened?"

"Oh, it's nothing, Peach. Just went for a swim."

Sonic knew it was more than that, but he kept his mouth shut. Making Peach worried was one of the last things he wanted. With no other choice, he'll have to shift aside his aquaphobia if he wants to be one step closer to home.

"Well, what are we waiting for? Let's shove off!"

 ** _END OF CHAPTER_**

* * *

 _You could probably see why I named this chapter as it is. Sonic and Mario couldn't catch Nabbit and the items he stole, leaving them frustrated. Now that they're reunited with the girls, they'll use the Daisy Cruiser to voyage towards Yurarin Isle. What kind of tricks does Nabbit have up his sleeves, or rather his sack? How will Sonic feel when he goes out to sea?_

 _And that's not the only thing that happened. Grambi had an argument with Luvbi regarding the Brotherhood Bracelets he built for Tails and Luigi. And the latter seemed to reveal the reason behind the Sibling Signals. What exactly does this mean for the future?_

 _Leave your thoughts down below, tell me if I need to fix any errors, favorite and follow the story if you haven't already, and I'll see you next time for Ch. 28 of New Brotherhood! This is TGN, signing off._

* * *

 ** _Post-Chapter Notes:_**

 ** _(1):_** _Muda doesn't specifically have a name for its capital city, so I made it up based on the inhabitants of this kingdom. I also gave a name for the island, even though it's not unique._

 _I'm no geography expert, especially when it comes to kingdoms, countries, or anything else in Mario's world. There are so many places outside the Mushroom Kingdom that it's hard to figure where they would all be interconnected with each other. But I'm just going to roll with it._

 ** _(2):_** _Daisy Cruiser first appeared as a racetrack in Mario Kart: Double Dash and appeared as a retro course in Mario Kart 7. It was also used as a baseball stadium in Mario Super Sluggers._


	29. Ch 28: A Helping Hand

_A/N:_ _To all those who reviewed the last chapter, thanks for the birthday wishes! I finally found some time alone to myself to write some more, so let's continue on!_

* * *

 _Disclaimer:_ _The Mario and Sonic characters do not belong to me. They are under Nintendo and Sega's property._

* * *

 **Chapter 28:** A Helping Hand

 _Location: Birabuto Kingdom_

A low grunt escaped Private Goomp's mouth as he slowly opened his eyelids. Blinking repeatedly, he shook his head (or technically his whole body) and took a glance at what was around him. He found himself leaning against a brick wall, sitting in between Corporal Paraplonk and Sergeant Guy. Both were knocked out from the looks of it. He later noticed that it was mostly dark except for the lantern that provided the only light source in the room. The private jumped to his feet and nudged at his partners.

"Paraplonk. Sergeant. Wake up, guys!"

"Hmm? What?" Corporal shifted his neck, struggling to open his eyes.

"Is it morning already?" Sergeant groaned. "Ugh, why do I feel like I have a migraine?"

The Paratroopa lifted the bucket over his head and saw that they were trapped in a secluded room. "Private, where are we?"

"I was going to ask you that."

The green Shy Guy stood up and ambled over to the lonely door. He tried to open up it with the doorknob, but he couldn't pull it. "It's locked," he muttered.

"Well, that's just great," Goomp whined.

"What happened to us?"

"The last thing I remember, we were searching for the Chaos Emerald in this kingdom. Then, some crazy, purple guy rampaged us from out of nowhere and knocked us out of the pyramid."

"Maybe someone found us and locked us up in here," Paraplonk thought.

"Hey, where's Kamek?" Sergeant asked.

"I don't know. If we're all stuck in here, I thought he would be with us as well."

Suddenly, the sound of a key slid into the lock. The doorknob jiggled before it opened up, revealing the person behind it.

"Kamek! There you-"

"Shh!" the Magikoopa hushed Private Goomp with a claw over his snout. "Not so loud!"

"What happened to you? What happened to _us_?! And where are we?" Paraplonk wanted answers.

"You're in the basement of Totomesu's pyramid. That pesky Nabbit stole the Chaos Emerald that Dr. Eggman wants. After he sent us flying, we landed outside the pyramid. Those Gao guards went looking for us, but I cast an invisibility spell on myself. Afterward, I created a fake me so I wouldn't get caught. I followed you all the way here, and now we're busting out of this joint."

"How'd you manage to get the key and avoid the guards?"

If Kamek wasn't wearing his spectacles, Goomp would've seen him roll his eyes. "My invisibility powers were still active at the time, you twit. I gave them a sleeping spell, but they could wake up at any time soon. Come on, we got to go to the Muda Kingdom."

"Why Muda?" Sergeant was confused.

"Before I turned invisible, I went over and eavesdropped on Mario's conversation. He and that blue hedgehog are chasing after Nabbit to Muda. We must pursue them while we have the chance."

"By the way, did you get the hair that the doctor asked for?" reminded Paraplonk.

Kamek grumbled. "Don't remind me. Just remain quiet until we get out of this prison. The invisibility isn't long-lasting."

He waved his magic wand to make everyone disappear. The Elite Trio had to be cautious to follow Kamek, even though they couldn't see each other nor themselves. As they reached the base level, Kamek stopped when he saw Totomesu walking towards their direction.

 _"How'd he get up that quickly? Should've put more juice into the spell."_

"Oof! Kamek?" Paraplonk asked for confirmation when he ran into someone.

"That was me," Sergeant corrected.

"Ow! You stepped on my foot!" Goomp hissed.

"Wait, Private? Where are you at?"

Paraplonk felt a jab at his shell. "Ugh! Hey, watch it!"

"How was I supposed to know you were there? I can't see you!"

"Neither can I!"

"Shut up, all three of you imbeciles!" Kamek whispered harshly.

"Who's there?" King Totomesu perceived the voices. The Gao King made his way to the ninety-degree corner where Kamek and the Trio were standing by. "If you're the intruder who detained me and my servants, you got another thing coming for trespassing!"

Totomesu turned the corner and went down the hallway. As he was far away from them, a spell flew from Kamek's scepter. It directly went towards him. A net trapped the Gao against the wall. When Totomesu got caught, he used his fire breath to burn it. He looked over and saw Bowser's minion resurface from Kamek's magic.

"Hey! We're back to normal!" Goomp cheered.

"Whew! I thought I would never see myself or you guys again!" Paraplonk commented.

"Well, Kamek did say it wasn't permanent," Sergeant Guy responded.

"You! How'd you escape the prison?!" Totomesu was baffled.

"Don't just stand there," Kamek chastised as he brought out his broomstick. "Run!"

The Elite Trio panicked when Totomesu ran after them, so they followed Kamek's command. Racing through the corridors, the four dodged Totomesu's fire. The flames hit the walls, but they didn't suffer any damage. The king got frustrated and ran faster than before. When they got near the entrance, Lyle returned to the pyramid.

"King Toto, I-" he paused himself when he saw Kamek. The Elite Trio was on his tail before Totomesu appeared.

"Stop them! Block the door!"

Lyle did as what he was told, crouching back in a menacing manner. The Magikoopa wasn't up for it, so he conjured up a spell towards him. Lyle had to dodge to the side, giving Kamek an easy opportunity to fly away.

"Shoot!" Lyle carped.

Goomp, Paraplonk, and Sergeant were running in circles in the foyer with Totomesu chasing them. Eventually, the Private jumped on the king's head to daze him. Sergeant did the same thing to Lyle when he approached him. Everyone managed to escape the pyramid. Before they could try to leave and hunt them down, Kamek blocked the entrance with locks and chains to deny their exit.

"That'll keep them locked up. Alright, boys. Where'd you park the airship?"

All three looked at each other before giving a deadpan response simultaneously. "Uhh..."

Kamek facepalmed. "You've got to be kidding me. I give you one job, and you all sound like failures already, not like that's a surprise."

"I'm... pretty sure we parked it near a sand dune," Goomp believed.

"Yeah, but which sand dune did we leave it nearby?" Paraplonk scratched his head.

"I told you to land it near the pyramids so it would be easier for us to remember?" Sergeant grunted.

"What? You never told us that!"

"I did so, too!"

"Highly doubtful," Goomp opposed.

"You incompetent cretins! It's parked all the way down south where we were!"

"Hey, how come you remember but you asked us where the airship was?"

"That was to test your memory and see whether or not if you were responsible enough. Clearly, you three were unsuccessful to accomplish either task. This is why I demoted you to cleaning duty!"

"Oh, man... I forgot about that," the Shy Guy complained.

"Get to the airship now," Kamek furiously ordered.

Meanwhile, Totomesu and Lyle were stuck in the pyramid. Scout and Leo woke up from the spell and congregated with them near the entrance.

"What happened here?" Scout wondered.

"Our prisoners escaped."

"They did?!" Leo's eyes widened.

"That dirty Magikoopa put us to sleep and broke out Bowser's underlings."

"Sorry for letting them get away," Lyle apologized.

"It's not your fault, Lyle. Nor is it any of yours either," Totomesu reassured.

"What do we do now, King Toto?"

"We should address this concern to Mario and his friends. We'll send them a letter about what transpired. Conveniently, it should nearly be time for Parakarry to visit Birabuto based on his mail schedule. We'll request him to give the letter to them in Muda."

* * *

 _Location: Muda Kingdom_

One simple glance was all it took for a person to marvel at the sight of what was in front of them. In Sonic's case, he was impressed at the sight of Daisy's Cruiser, but he also felt uncomfortable of going out to sea. But if it was to catch up to Nabbit who swam to Yurarin Isle and took the Chaos Emerald, he had to go there.

"You alright, Sonic?" Mario stood next to him.

"I will once we get there."

"Don't worry. We'll get the Emerald and the others' belongings."

"Yeah. I'm sure of that as well."

Daisy led everyone onto the deck, giving Sonic, Amy, Cream, and Cheese the tour. In the meantime, her crew was making sure everything was set and ready to go before it could leave the dock. The cruiser featured a humongous dining room table, cabins for guests to rest in, a ballroom, a bar, a casino, and other attractions. When they got to the top, they reached the large rooftop swimming pool.

"This is one of the most popular places on the cruise ship. Everyone would come to swim, wade, or just relax on the beach chairs over there to sunbathe."

"Wow," Amy was amazed. "This looks like any other swimming pool outside of a fancy hotel, but only bigger. And the sea breeze-" she felt the wind against her face, "-it feels great!"

"The view is also spectacular!" Cream saw the blue expanse over the railing.

"Chao!"

"Ah, Princess Daisy. Pleasure to see you again," a man strolled over the party. He wore a captain's outfit consisting of a navy-blue jacket and hat with a white dress shirt and red tie underneath. He bowed at Her Highness.

"Good afternoon, James."

"Princess Peach. Mario. It's nice to see you, too."

"Thank you, James," Peach curtsied.

Mario tipped his cap. "How's the ship looking?"

"Everything's looking good so far. We're about to hoist the anchor so we can get this cruiser rolling."

"Great!" Amy smiled.

"Oh, excuse us. James, these are our new friends. That's Amy, Cream, Cheese, and Sonic," Daisy introduced.

"Hello, guys! Welcome aboard the Daisy Cruiser. I'm James, the captain of this vessel."

"It's nice to meet you, Mr. James," Cream replied.

He laughed. "You can simply call me James. I've never seen creatures like you before."

"That's because they're from another world," explained Mario.

"Really? Where, I might ask?"

"Mobius. We don't technically know where it's located from the Mushroom Kingdom, but you can bet that it's very far away," said Sonic.

"And what are you doing here in our world?"

"We're trying to find these things called the Chaos Emeralds so we could use them to go back home."

"I see. Sorry I'm not up to speed here, but I presume you want to take the cruiser to find the Emeralds?"

"That's correct. There's one taken by Nabbit, and he swam to Yurarin Isle. We were hoping to find him so we can take it back. Can you lead us there?" asked Peach.

James smiled. "I'm more than happy to! Just make yourselves comfortable, and we'll be off in no time. Is there anything I could get you while we wait?"

"Yeah. Got any chili dogs?" Mario smirked and rolled his eyes at Sonic's question.

* * *

 _Location: Bowser's Castle_

As Eggman impatiently waited for an update on the status of Kamek and the Elite Trio, he tested the robots he had already created. Metal Sonic and Metal Tails were mostly perfect since he had experience building older versions. However, the Mario and Luigi clones were incomplete, considering he hasn't started building them without the proper component. All he had were blueprints of his projects. Nonetheless, he needed Mario's hair to transfer his DNA. And since he was very smart, he wanted to scan his genetics to see if he could get anything from the man in green since they were related by blood. Because if he were to dig up Luigi's grave just to get a piece of hair from his corpse, it would be absolutely repugnant in so many ways. **_(1)_**

As he quietly sat in his chair, Bowser tramped his way into his room with a plate of TNT Drumsticks. "Here. Dinner's ready."

"Thanks," he grabbed a chicken leg, taking a huge bite into it. "Hmm... Not as spicy as the last time."

"Yeah, I had to tell the Koopa chefs to ease it on the hot sauce. Last time, Lemmy and Larry's tongues were burning from the intense heat. But since they're kind of used to hot stuff, it wasn't too serious. Yet, I don't want them to chug gallons of water."

"Sounds legitimate. So, what's up with your other minions? Have you checked up on their progress?"

Bowser grumbled, crossing his arms. "Haven't heard from them yet. I don't know what's taking so long, but my patience is running thin again."

Eggman's mustache drooped as he narrowed his eyes. "You know how important I need the hair, correct?"

"I understand you're frustrated. Believe me, so am I. The Elite Trio isn't exactly the most ideal band of underlings. But like Kamek and my adopted children, I have faith in them, even if it's not a whole lot."

"But Kamek still hasn't done his job either."

"He's not perfect, but I trust him."

Eggman shrugged to himself before biting off another piece of chicken. "So, how are the airships?"

"They're all loaded with ammunition and ready the next time we plan a major invasion."

"By the way, have you set a date on when you want to attack?"

"I do. Peach is holding an annual concert where tons of musicians and bands perform. It'll be in Mushroom City in less than two weeks. Around the time when it's about to end, we'll give them the big finale. Neither Mario nor Sonic will see it coming."

"That's long to wait, but it sounds doable. We'll get those Chaos Emeralds for good!"

"Indeed, we will."

* * *

The Daisy Cruiser was about halfway there to its destination. Over the course of the trip, the princesses took Amy, Cream, and Cheese shopping for clothes and getting them tailored to match their sizes. After he feasted on a buffet of chili dogs, Sonic got to dash around the deck, explore the cabins, and run into the rooms Daisy had shown him. He returned to the rooftop pool where he saw Mario lounging on a beach chair. His arms supported the back of his head, the brim of his hat covered his closed eyes, and his right leg was folded over his left. What he also noticed was that his clothes were damp.

"Mario?"

"Hey, Sonic," he answered without budging.

"Hope this isn't weird to ask, but why are you wet again? I thought you dried off after you got to shore from those waves."

"I did. However, I thought I would take a nice swim before I did, one that's more relaxing than being wiped out. Besides, I can shower later."

"Do you normally swim with your clothes on?"

Mario lifted his hat to face him. "I mean, I've done it multiple times ever since my first adventure with Luigi when we tried to save Peach from Bowser. It's not too big of a deal to me since I've been to tons of water locations. And I'd be in my usual plumber's outfit most of the time. On rare occasions, I'm good with just a pair of swimming trunks, or even my boxers." ** _(2)_**

"Doesn't it get annoying to walk around with soggy socks, shoes, and everything else that sticks to your body though?"

"You have a point there, but I slowly got used to it. Going around while being soaked is the least of my problems. Helping people and keeping everyone safe, especially Peach, are higher priorities. I'm always willing to save her whenever she's in trouble. It's just unfortunate how she's always being kidnapped for some reason. Regardless of the purpose, I'll do whatever it takes, even if it means swimming in my attire."

Sonic nodded before looking down at the floor.

"Is something wrong?"

"Can I ask you something?"

"Yeah, of course. What is it?"

"Just don't make fun of me."

"Why would I? I don't even know what you want."

Sonic took a deep breath. "Can you teach me how to swim?"

Mario blinked. "Teach you?"

"Ugh, I shouldn't have asked you that," he turned away. "Go ahead. Say it."

"Say what? Sonic, I'm not going to tease you. There are plenty of people out there who can't swim because they're either afraid or they're not good at it. I can understand it. So, what's the point of belittling you?" Sonic looked back at him. "I actually wouldn't mind helping you out."

"Really?"

"Positive. I'd be happy to teach you."

The hedgehog felt some of the pressure fall off his shoulders. He smiled at him. "Thanks, Mario."

He returned the expression. "Anytime, Sonic. Do you want to start practicing now?"

"Yeah. But first, I got to get a life jacket."

* * *

Five minutes later, a crew member was kind enough to supply Sonic with an orange vest. After putting it on, he returned to the pool where he saw Mario sitting on the edge with his feet in the water.

He turned around to face the hedgehog. "Ready?"

Sonic closed his eyes, taking a deep breath. After exhaling, he responded, "Let's do it."

He slowly sat down next to the plumber before Mario slid off the floor and into the pool. Sonic followed his actions, but Mario extended a hand out to him in case he felt uncomfortable. With a light splash, Sonic gasped. It had been too long since he was in any body of water. Thanks to the life vest though, his head remained above the surface while his feet dangled below, nearly touching the bottom of the pool. His hand never let go of Mario's.

"Okay! I think that's enough practice for today!"

"Sonic, we just started. Don't worry, we'll only stay in the shallow end. I see that you're moving your legs, which is important if you want to keep your head above water whenever you're not swimming."

"I'm doing this right?"

"You are." However, Sonic started punting his legs a bit rapidly and roughly that he accidentally kicked Mario. "Ow!"

"Oh, sorry."

"No, no, you're okay. Anyway, one of the best ways to practice swimming is to hold onto the edge of the pool and extend your legs out. This is to help you float. Do you think you can do that?"

"I'll try my best."

Carefully, Sonic turned over onto his stomach as his hands held the edge. Mario guided his legs up so they were at level with the rest of his body.

"Perfect. As you did before, you can gently kick your legs to swim whenever your torso is facing down."

Sonic took in his words and started. He began to understand the action of swimming.

"You're doing great, Sonic," Mario encouraged him. "Another way to float is to be on your back."

"M-My back?" Sonic stuttered.

"Yes. I'll help you readjust yourself. I still got you for support."

Sonic relaxed a little and moved so he was facing the sky. Mario made sure to keep him afloat.

"For this technique, you still kick your legs to stay up here. But your arms will need to be spread out in a T-pose."

"Heh, I'm aware of T-poses. Except I stand up while doing them like I'm king of the world or something." Sonic kept himself at the surface.

"Good job. Do you think you're ready for the next step?"

"What would that be?"

"Treading water."

He moved his lips to the side. "I don't know."

"I said I'll be there to help you. Just trust me."

Sonic exhaled deeply once more. He returned to standing upright and shifted his hands so that they were holding Mario's.

"Now, I'm going to let go."

"What?! You said you were going to hold on to me! You're going to let me drown, are you?!"

Mario frowned. "I would never do that to you."

Sonic felt bad for accusing him. "Sorry. I'm not used to this. Before Tails was gone, he wanted me to learn how to swim. I just refused to."

"Well, I'm going to do him the favor of teaching you. When you get the hang of it, I'm sure he'll be proud of you then."

"Alright. So, why do you want to let go of my hands?"

"That way, you can practice treading water."

"Okay."

"Just like your legs, you want to move your arms to help you stay above water. And you want to wave them gently, not flail them around like you're panicking. That'll only make it worse."

Sonic followed his directions as soon as the plumber left him alone. Breathing slowly, he looked down at his feet while kicking his legs and moving his arms.

"So far, so good, Sonic," he smiled. He started to swim backward, but he stayed close to the edge and not towards the middle of the pool where the level was deeper. About five feet away, he called to him. "Start treading towards me by moving your arms and legs now."

Although he was amateur at it, Sonic did what he was told. Mario was still impressed that he's continued to endure his fear of swimming. And in under a minute, Sonic made his way to his friend.

"Excellent! You treaded water!"

"I did, didn't I?" Sonic was delighted. "It's all thanks to you!"

Mario appreciated his comment. "Do you think you're ready to try different swimming styles?"

"Only if you guide me," Sonic smirked, prompting Mario to do the same.

"Absolutely."

For the next half-hour, Sonic was learning the basics of freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke, and his personal favorite, underwater running, which was similar to the dog paddle. **_(3)_** By then, Sonic was slowly getting better after he used the tips and tricks Mario gave him. The sun was starting to set by the time they decided to stop. Mario helped Sonic out of the water first before he hopped out.

"Man, I don't think I've ever had a decent experience with swimming in my entire life until now."

"I'm glad to hear that from you. You're slowly learning, but it means that you're more improved than before."

"Thanks for teaching me, Mario. I'll still have to get used to it though."

"You're welcome, Sonic." He looked over the railing. "Hey, look! We're getting close to Yurarin Isle!"

"Wow, we sure are. And man, that's a beautiful sunset out on the horizon."

"It definitely is. Well, we better get cleaned up before we continue our journey. Let's go find the showers."

"Alright. At least I won't be swimming in water this time. But you know, I wouldn't mind another lesson from you."

"And I won't mind helping you again either."

Sonic chuckled. "You're one of a kind, Mario."

"So are you, Sonic. So are you."

 ** _END OF CHAPTER_**

* * *

 _And so, we have another Mario and Sonic moment where the two spend some quality time with each other. In this case, Sonic was given swimming lessons by Mario. Hmm, I wonder why I decided to write a scene out like this... You'll see eventually._

 _Besides that, Kamek and the Elite Trio have escaped Totomesu's pyramid. They're back in the hunt for the Chaos Emerald that Nabbit stole. Will they interfere with the heroes? And will Mario and Sonic know about their escape? Also, Eggman is still behind his pace since he needs the essential to finish his robotic creations. But, we are now aware that Bowser wants to ruin the Mushroom City Concert for his next attack. How will that go down when it takes place?_

 _As always, let me know what you think of this chapter. Review, follow/favorite, and I'll see you next time for Ch. 29 of New Brotherhood! This is TGN, signing off._

* * *

 ** _Post-Chapter Notes:_**

 ** _(1):_** _I hope this explains the reason why and how Eggman is building the Metal Mario and Metal Luigi robots, even if it sounds both convoluted and highly improbable._

 ** _(2):_** _Since Super Mario Bros., Mario has been through many instances swimming in water that he doesn't have an option but to go with the flow in his plumber's suit. That all changed in Super Mario Odyssey where he can now swim (and travel) in different styles of clothing, including the infamous mushroom-themed Boxer Shorts. (Still, keep in mind that Odyssey isn't in the same timeline with this story.)_

 ** _(3):_** _Underwater running is Sonic's swim style in the Olympic crossover games. Despite this, the Olympics are not canon with this story since Mario and Sonic had no relations with each other prior to their first encounter (similar to PCN #2 since Mario does swim in his regular garments in those games)._


	30. Ch 29: Yurarin Trouble

_A/N:_ _To think, I uploaded Ch. 14 when Mario Odyssey was released last year. Now, we're thirty pages into this fanfic. Unlike Hidden Bravery, I don't update NB very often when I have college, my other project, Revengeful Resistance, and a short story in the works. But I still appreciate the ongoing support. More than **150 reviews** , **44 favorites** , **36 followers** , and **17,000+ hits** as of this update, it's still mind-boggling to me as this fanfic continues to thrive. Anyway, let's move on, shall we?_

* * *

 _Disclaimer:_ _Mario is under Nintendo's property, and Sonic belongs to Sega. I only take credit for this story._

* * *

 **Chapter 29:** Yurarin Trouble

Mario went to his assigned cabin and rinsed himself after all the swimming he had done today. The first case was perilous since he got washed up from some waves, but recently he helped Sonic learn how to swim. Mario was proud of his friend that he managed to get through something he didn't like. Just in case if he did find himself in a situation like that, at least he'll be more confident than before.

When Mario got out of his shower, he was surprised to find a set of clothes laid out on the bed next to the Emerald Detector. (Good thing E. Gadd made it waterproof.) A small note was placed on top of the clothes. He picked up the paper and read the message.

...

 _Mario,_

 _I figured that you would need some new clothes, so I went to the cruiser's boutique and got you a set that should accommodate your size and color preference. Don't worry. There's no charge for it! Your plumber's outfit was taken to our public laundromat, and it should be clean and dry by nighttime. We'll make sure to hand it back to you before you leave Muda. Good luck to you and your friends on finding the Chaos Emeralds!_

 _~Capt. James_

...

"That was nice of him," the plumber smiled. He put on his new ensemble which featured a white tank top, a red, unbuttoned, short-sleeved shirt with a tropical flower design, blue shorts, brown leather sandals, and a straw sunhat. Mario got a glance at himself in the mirror. "This will definitely do. I should think about wearing other clothes for a change. Still, nothing will beat my standard attire."

Mario returned to the deck of the Daisy Cruiser. He saw Amy, Cream, and Cheese relaxing on some beach chairs, digging into some frozen treats. Amy had a soft-serve strawberry ice cream cone, Cream was enjoying an orange cream popsicle, and Cheese had a hot fudge sundae topped with coconut shavings. The girls were also sporting some new outfits. The hedgehog wore a violet dress with a light blue waistband and a rose attached to her right shoulder strap. The bunny had an amber dress and a daisy where her usual cobalt tie was from her usual apparel.

"I see you two got a costume change as well."

"Oh, hi, Mario! We sure did!" Amy greeted happily. "Peach and Daisy suggested these to us, and we had to try them on."

"They were very beautiful, and they fit us really well, too!" said Cream.

"And you're also wearing something different. Did you go shopping on your own?"

Mario shook his head. "James left this in my room as I was showering. Everything's a perfect fit for me."

"That looks nice on you, Mr. Mario."

"Thanks, Cream. Say, where's Peach and Daisy?"

"They decided to take a walk around the deck," Amy responded.

Later, Sonic sauntered up to them. He had some new touches, too. "Heh, you look like you're ready to go on vacation," he referred to Mario. "I take it that James gave you those clothes."

"He did, actually." Mario looked down at the hedgehog's feet. "Are those new shoes?"

"They sure are!" His footwear nearly looked the same except it was a shade of azure. He twisted his feet to show them off at various angles. "James left a note telling me that he was gonna let someone clean my old ones. As an added bonus, I was also given these ring cuffs. **_(1)_** They match the shoes and my Brotherhood Bracelet, which is pretty neat!"

"I'm flattered to hear that you like them," James approached the group.

"Oh, what's up, James?"

"Just checking up on you all before we get to our destination. We should reach the dock in about ten minutes."

"Awesome! So far, we're doing good."

"By the way, I really like this outfit you picked for me, James," Mario appreciated.

"Oh, you're very welcome! Anything else I can help you with?"

"No, I think we're fine."

"Perfect! I hope you enjoyed the cruise so far. We'll make sure to bring you back to Yurania when you're finished. Anyways, I got to return to the helm," James left them.

Amy got up from her chair and peered at the island. "So, what exactly is on Yurarin Isle?"

"Hmm... I think that's something Daisy would know more than me. I don't think I've ever stepped foot there."

"But I thought you went through Muda before in your travels."

"I did. But I never actually explored Yurarin Isle. I went through Muda Beach and an underwater passage."

"Really?" Sonic widened his eyes.

"Yeah. But unlike most of my adventures, I used a submarine called the Marine Pop. Tons of Yurarins and Yurarin Boos live down there. One of whom is named Dragonzamasu. And yes, his name is quite a handful, a lot harder to pronounce than Totomesu. He can be quite talkative."

"Do you know much about him like Toto?" Cream asked.

"A little bit. He's the leader of the Muda Kingdom and usually resides at the bottom of the ocean. When Tatanga brainwashed everyone in Sarasaland, he was the second boss I had to face. Using the Marine Pop, I had to shoot torpedoes at him while avoiding his guardian named Tamao, who's this freaky eye-like creature. **_(2)_** Don't take this the wrong way. I only did damage to immobilize him and move on. Dragonzamasu returned to normal after I saved Daisy."

"I wonder if we'll get to meet him."

"Maybe. If we do, I should warn you that he can start running his mouth and may accidentally spit fire."

"Then I better keep my distance if I don't want to be a roasted hedgehog," Sonic joked.

"Didn't you also explore the other kingdom in Sarasaland? Um, what was the name again?" Amy tried to remember.

"Are you talking about Easton?"

"Yeah, that's the one!"

"I have been there. Like Muda and Birabuto, I had to travel the land and battle another boss who was under Tatanga's spell. His name is Hiyoihoi, a stone-like guardian who leads the race of Tokotokos. When they were enemies, they used to chuck boulders at me. I nearly got knocked out by Hiyoihoi when I fought him." **_(3)_**

"If that's the case, I guess you could say you were stuck between a rock and a hard place!"

"I mean, that's literally true!" Mario agreed with Sonic.

Just then, the plumber received a warm welcome from one of his old friends.

"Mail call!"

Mario recognized the voice and looked up in the sky. "Oh! Hello, Parakarry!"

The cyan-shelled Paratroopa had his traditional flight helmet and mailbag like usual. He floated down in front of the man. "I finally found you, Mario! How are you doing today?"

"I'm well, thank you. And yourself?"

"Always doing my job, and I'm still loving it!"

"That's great to hear."

"I notice that you have some new friends. I don't think I've seen them before."

"Oh, I'm sorry, Parakarry. This is Sonic, Amy, Cream, and Cheese. They're from another world called Mobius, and we're helping them get back home."

"Glad to meet you all! My name's Parakarry, and I'm a mail carrier."

"Nice to meet you as well," Sonic waved his hand.

"I like your mailbag," Cream pointed.

"Thanks!"

"How's it like to be a mailman?" questioned Amy.

"It's a lot of work, but at least I get to travel which is one of my favorite hobbies. Back then, I was so clumsy that I scattered letters all over the Mushroom Kingdom. When I ran into Mario, he was kind enough to retrieve them back for me so I can properly deliver them to the correct recipients. But I've gotten better now that I'm more experienced, so I don't lose a lot of letters! Well, not as frequently as I used to."

"That's okay, Parakarry. Everyone makes mistakes, and you definitely don't mean to lose the letters on purpose."

"Speaking of which, Mario, I have an urgent letter for you. It's sent by King Totomesu of Birabuto."

"Really? I didn't expect one at a time like this, especially from him."

"During my mail route, I was supposed to bring a package to him, but Totomesu was stuck inside his pyramid with the other Gaos. They called for backup to break down the entrance from the outside. It took a while, but they got the job done. As I met with the king, he wanted me to transfer this message. It seemed really important, so I flew as fast as I could. I had to ask the residents where you were since I couldn't find you near Muda Beach. And here I am!"

"Wow, you must be very dedicated to your services!" Amy admired.

"Thanks for the compliment! I wish I could stay and chat longer, but I've got more letters to deliver."

"Okay. Take care, Parakarry!"

"Thanks, Mario! And it was great meeting you all! Hope you return to your home safely!"

"We appreciate it," Sonic smiled.

"Bye, Parakarry!" Cream and Amy waved goodbye.

"Chao!"

As Parakarry fluttered his wings away, Mario was about to open the letter. Peach and Daisy returned to their friends.

"Whatcha got there, Mario?" Daisy wondered.

"Parakarry flew by and gave me a letter. It's from Totomesu."

"Toto? Why'd he write one to you?"

"That's what I was going to find out." He ripped the envelope and unfolded the paper inside. When he began reading, his eyes caught attention to the introduction. He read the note aloud.

...

 _Dear Mario,_

 _I have some unfortunate news. Recently, Bowser's minions managed to escape our dungeon and are on their way to Muda. If not, they could probably arrive by the time you're reading this. Please be on the lookout for them. Kamek isn't a pushover with his magic, so he could plot revenge against you and your friends. The others may not be as dangerous, but you can't underestimate them._

 _Do whatever you can to defend yourself and get that Chaos Emerald from Nabbit before they do. The last thing I want is to make you think we let them free that easily. I sincerely apologize for putting this issue on your shoulders. But I know you can handle it with everyone by your side. Best of luck to you, Mario._

 _~King Totomesu_

...

"Oh my," Peach breathed. "That doesn't sound good at all."

"Just what we needed. Those jerks are back at it again," Sonic grumbled.

"We just need to track down Nabbit. Once we get to the island, I'm sure we'll find him."

"Attention, passengers," James announced through the loudspeakers, "we'll be arriving at Yurarin Isle in approximately five minutes. Please prepare to disembark."

"It's about time!" Sonic exclaimed. "Let's hope we can find it before dark!"

As the Daisy Cruiser reached the island, James dropped the anchor. After thanking the Captain and his crew, the heroes strolled onto the boardwalk. Waves crashed at the shoreline, trees swayed from the breeze, and the ground slightly rumbled.

...Wait, what?

"Eep!" Amy lost her balance that she hung her arms over Sonic's shoulders. Luckily, he was there to catch her fall. He helped her stand up, but she couldn't hide the blush on her face. "Thanks, Sonic."

"No problem, Ames."

"Was that an earthquake?" Cream wondered.

"I think that's the volcano on this island," Daisy answered. "Mount Yuruvius." **_(4)_**

"Uh oh. What if this volcano's about to erupt?" Peach worried.

"Then we better not waste a second." Mario took out the Emerald Detector. After waiting for a few seconds, the sensor perceived a signal. "We need to go that way!" he pointed to his northwest.

"Alright! Let's get running!" Sonic went off first as the others hurried behind.

* * *

The small airship floated over the ocean as they passed the Muda-Birabuto border. Kamek was hoping to use his magic to find Mario's location. But his scepter was having magical difficulties. The Elite Trio... Well, they're busy with their own business.

"Come on, you ineffectual wand! We need that Chaos Emerald and a piece of Mario's hair. I don't want Lord Bowser to lose control of his blood pressure again."

He tapped the orb of his weapon before it accidentally conjured up a magical blast into the sky. The flying, colored shapes burst into a firework.

"Ooh, that's pretty," Goomp looked up.

"Come on, Private. Stop getting distracted," Sergeant Guy chided.

"Oh, sorry. Um, are you a power-up item?"

"Nope."

"My turn again. Can you be found in a Question Mark Block?" queried Paraplonk.

"No."

"Are you a type of enemy?"

"Yes, I am."

Goomp continued to ask more questions. "Are you someone that you can crush?"

"You're on the right track."

"Are you the color gray?"

"Yes," Sergeant was getting eager.

"I got it! Are you-"

"What are you three babbling about now?" Kamek turned to them.

"Oh, we're playing Twenty Questions as we wait until we get to Muda," explained Goomp.

"We got tired of chess, checkers, and Go Fish, so we moved onto a new game," Sergeant told him.

"Hmm... Well, let me hop in. I got a question to ask."

"Sure, go ahead."

"Okay. We're _already_ in Muda! Get out of your seats and do something productive!"

"Um, that's not a question," Paraplonk tilted his head.

"Of course not! It's a demand!"

"But what do you want us to do?!" Goomp was flustered.

"Go to that deserted island, and find the Chaos Emerald that Nabbit stole from us!"

"What makes you think that it's there?"

"Are you a psychic or something?"

"No, I'm not," Sergeant replied.

"That was a question to Kamek, not you."

"Oh, my mistake."

"Maybe if you open your eyes and look a bit closer, you can see that orange princess's cruise ship on the dock of that island! It's an indication that Mario traveled to that island for a specific reason."

"To take some coconuts and whip up a batch of Coco Candy?" Goomp asked.

Kamek facepalmed before dragging his claw down his face. "He's trying to find a Chaos Emerald there. It's likely possible that Nabbit escaped to that island."

The entire Elite Trio had that moment of realization simultaneously, like a light bulb flashed over all of their heads. "Oh."

" _Now_ you get my point! Stop the airship as soon as we get there. We can't fail a second time after we narrowly escaped the pyramids! Or Master Bowser will cut off your heads!"

"Uh, isn't that a bit too extreme for something T rated?" doubted Paraplonk.

"GET MOVING!"

"Yes, Kamek!" they quickly got up.

"Ugh, imbeciles. How does he manage to deal with them?" the Magikoopa shook his head. He went back to fixing his scepter.

"Oh, by the way," Sergeant Guy whispered to his partners, "I was a Thwomp."

"Darn it!" Goomp accidentally screamed out loud. "I was almost thinking that! I thought you were a Whomp instead!"

"Private! Zip your lips or I'll shut them for you!"

"S-Sorry, Kamek!" the Goomba embarrassingly walked to the upper level with Paraplonk and Sergeant. The three slowed down the airship and made it to the other side of Yurarin Isle in case anyone on Daisy's cruiser saw them. Once they got off, Kamek led the way.

"We'll start off in the jungle. Pay attention if you hear any squeaking from Nabbit. And stay alert if Mario and his party are nearby."

"Got it," they replied before they hiked through the tall grass and palm trees.

* * *

Sonic, Mario, and the others kept searching high and low of their surroundings as the signal on the Emerald Detector was getting weaker. Either Nabbit was moving further away from them or it was the other way around. Or maybe the device was having a faulty connection error. It's not like it was new to Mario, Peach, or Daisy. They've had tons of experience with that. **_(5)_**

Mario pushed aside a large bush and felt something below his sandal. He found a familiar object on the ground. "This is Coral's purse."

"Hey, you're right! And look," Sonic pointed from ten feet away. "It's Reef's hat."

"Who's Coral and Reef?" asked Cream.

"We met them in Yurania before Nabbit came over to ransack us. He took their belongings before he took stuff from the beachgoers."

"If Nabbit dropped some of the items he stole, maybe that'll give us a clue of where he is," deduced Peach.

"Has the Detector picked up any signs besides the one?" Daisy put a hand on her hip.

"So far, it hasn't." Mario was getting a little frustrated. He scratched the back of his hair and grabbed his sunhat, waving it in front of his face to cool off. "I'm starting to sweat in this jungle. I could really use a drink of water right now."

"Me, too," Amy sighed. "Too bad we finished our canteens earlier. We should've refilled and taken them with us!"

Daisy placed a hand on her chin. "If I recall, there should be a small village nearby. It's not too far from the shore, but it's a respectable distance from the volcano if the islanders need to escape."

"Don't you think it's a bit unsafe to build a place to live near something that could, you know, potentially ruin it?" Sonic raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah, it's a bit unorthodox, but the Yurarins do love living near water, even if it's on an island. With a volcano, no less."

"Has Mount Yuruvius ever erupted?" questioned Amy.

"It happened long before I was born. But in recent history, there hasn't been an eruption in the past thirty years. It's a miracle that it hasn't blown up during that span."

"How coincidental that it seems like it's gonna explode when we're here trying to find something," Sonic rolled his eyes.

"Come on, everyone," Peach got their attention. "Let's keep going. It's getting dark already, and if the volcano is going to erupt any moment soon, we have to evacuate as soon as possible."

"Peach is right," Mario agreed. "Maybe if we get to the village, we can ask the Yurarins if they've seen Nabbit."

Passing through more shrubs and trees, it took a few minutes for the heroes to enter a hospitable location. With tons of huts, cabanas, and campfires, they saw a couple of Yurarins and Yurarin Boos throughout the village. One in particular happened to be the leader of the species. The tall, yellow Yurarin Boo was the first to notice them.

"Unbelievable," Dragonzamasu was shocked. "Could it be?" The other inhabitants saw what he was referring to. "Princess Daisy. Princess Peach. Mario. What a surprise," he bowed to them.

Daisy and Peach curtsied while Mario tipped his sunhat. "Hello, Dragonzamasu."

"Oh, who are these interesting creatures with you? I must say, I've never seen a bunny, a loving couple with spiked hair, and a small alien before."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa," Sonic held up a hand. "Backpedal for a sec there. We are _not_ boyfriend and girlfriend."

"It may look like we're dating though. We're sort of in the middle of the process if you think about it."

"Not helping, Amy," he muttered.

"My name is Dragonzamasu, but you can call me Dragon for short. Or Zam. Or whatever the heck you want. I'm more of a laid-back kind of ruler, but I'll always take care of Muda whenever something abrupt comes up. Did you know that-"

"Um, Dragon, I don't mean to be rude, but we were hoping we could ask you a question."

"Sure, Mario. Anything for you. But first off, let me ask you this. What happened to your plumber's outfit? I was kind of hoping you would help fix a leak in our kitchen sink!"

Mario frowned at his quip. Peach also wasn't that amused. Dragonzamasu may be a ruler, but his loquacious personality can turn a low-key conversation into a drawn-out session of story time. Speaking of which, this Yurarin Boo was already spitting words out left and right in front of them. Mario pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration. Sonic crossed his arms and tapped his foot, showing his impatience. Amy fidgeted with her dress. Peach sighed as she slowly lost interest in what he was saying. Daisy rolled her eyes, wanting this to end. Cream and Cheese both yawned after the first minute. Seriously, he was going on and on about whatever's on his mind. He talked about _anything_ and _everything_. The weather, sports, food, aliens not named Tatanga, Mount Yuruvius rumbling the island again...

Yeah, that's still a thing.

Dragon stopped talking, which was a relief to everyone. However, they thought too soon. "Whoa, did you all feel that? I'm sure you did, but I didn't. After all, I'm floating in mid-air!"

"Dragon, can I please ask my question now?" Mario wanted to get to the main point.

"Oh, yes! Why didn't you tell me before?"

Mario blinked and shook his head as if he was questioning himself that he heard him correctly. "I just did!"

"Really? When did that occur?"

"Are you serious?" The blank look on Dragon's face gave him an evident answer. "Ugh, never mind. We were wondering if you've seen a purple, masked rabbit around here. His name is Nabbit, and he has something valuable that we need."

"Something valuable? And what might that be?"

"It's called a Chaos Emerald," said Sonic. "He stole a yellow one, and we've been hunting him for hours. We don't have that much time to sit and chat. We need that Emerald badly. Have you seen him anywhere?"

"Hmm... I don't remember seeing any rabbit folk here, not even Nabbit. Besides, tropical islands are not their cup of tea. Large fields of grass or any open space is their kind of ideal landscape. They can run around on the turf, digging holes in the ground while being chased by mustachioed men in overalls. I mean, do you know how many bunnies this guy had to chase?" Dragon lifted his fin at Mario. "Oh, man! I've heard about his galaxy adventures, and those star bunnies were so fast with their hops! They'll try to bait you out, thinking you're going to catch them when all of a sudden, they'll make you faceplant into the ground! Hahahaha!"

"I don't need to be reminded of that," Mario complained.

"Please, Mr. Dragon, sir. We really need that Emerald, or we may never be able to go home," Cream implored for help. Cheese chimed in with sad eyes on his face.

"Aw, what such cute faces you two have. It's just as loving as Mr. Blue and Mrs. Pink Hedgehog over there."

"Hey!" Sonic stomped his foot.

"But in all seriousness, I think one place to search first is the inner caverns of the volcano. Who knows? Maybe that rabbit is hoarding a secret stash of his collectibles in a place that's both dangerous and hard to reach. Although, that's just a random guess."

"That's actually not a bad idea," Daisy thought.

"I do want to warn you though. Since Yuruvius has been shaking the island up, you need to be quick with your exploration. Because if that thing starts spewing out lava and you're not out of there in time, then what can I say? Yurarin trouble!" Dragon was in hysterics that he released a fireball from his snout. Everyone else had different reactions, beginning with Mario, then Peach, Sonic, Cream, Cheese, and Amy.

"What?"

"Huh?"

"Run that by me again?"

"I don't get it."

"Chao?"

"Watch it! You almost burned my fur! I keep this straightened and beautiful for a reason!"

The Muda leader had to wipe the tears out of his eyes. "Don't you get it? Yurarin trouble? _'You are in trouble?'_ ** _(6)_** HA! You got to admit that's hilarious!"

"I can think of better puns than that," Sonic whispered to Mario.

"Frankly, I believe it."

"Yeah, so... We should get going. Thanks for your help, Dragon," said Daisy.

"You're welcome, Princess! Hope to see you again soon!"

"Same to you!" When they were a respectable distance away, the tomboy let out a long, loud groan. "I'm really sorry about that. He's very outgoing, yet a bit nuts."

"A bit?" Sonic looked dubious.

"Trust me though, he takes good care of the citizens and the kingdom."

"I'm not saying I doubt that. Then again, I'm skeptical about him."

"That doesn't matter," Mario interrupted. "If he told us to search the inside of Mount Yuruvius, then we need to hurry." Everyone else agreed, and they began running to the base of the volcano.

 ** _END OF CHAPTER_**

* * *

 _And so, another chapter of New Brotherhood is complete. Not much to say other than I tried to give Dragonzamasu some character based on how he was portrayed in the Super Mario-Kun manga that I researched from Super Mario Wiki._

 _As the adventure continues, will Mario, Sonic, and company find Nabbit with the potential that the volcano could erupt? For Kamek and the Elite Trio, how's their search going for them? Thanks for sticking around as I slowly get through this story one chapter at a time. Review down below, follow/favorite for more updates, and I'll see you next time in Ch. 30. This is TGN, signing off._

* * *

 ** _Post-Chapter Notes:_**

 ** _(1):_** _Sonic's shoes and ring cuffs are based on his cyan alternate skin in Super Smash Bros. 4._

 ** _(2):_** _Dragonzamasu was the second boss in Super Mario Land, where Mario faced him underwater. Mario had to use the torpedoes to either deal enough damage to him while avoiding Tamao or break open the wall behind him and activate a switch to complete the battle. Going off the official artwork of this character, I'm going with him being yellow (even though there's an image of him in orange)._

 ** _(3):_** _Hiyoihoi is a Tokotoko (a living stone head) with arms and legs that differentiate him from the others of his species. He was the third boss in SML and looks over the Easton Kingdom. Mario had to defeat him by throwing ten Superballs at him in order to progress into Chai and find Daisy._

 ** _(4):_** _This is a parody name of a well-known volcano called Mount Vesuvius in Italy. Its pronunciation is very similar, except the 'Yuru-' part._

 ** _(5):_** _Yeah, I made a joke about connection errors, because I absolutely LOVE them. It happens all the time whenever I play Mario Kart 8 Deluxe._

 ** _(6):_** _I made a mediocre pun with the chapter title, and there's the explanation of the joke. It may sound terrible, and that's because it is._


	31. Ch 30: Secret of the Bracelets

_A/N:_ _So, I'm feeling much better than how I was back when I posted the update in October. I'm slowly recovering, and I'm not fully healed mentality wise, but I've gotten better. I managed to find motivation to write and edit this out over a couple days. I want to thank everyone who reviewed the last chapter, and I hope everyone else enjoyed it as well. I also appreciate your patience and wishes when I needed to look after myself._

 _With that out of the way, New Brotherhood is back with another new chapter. And the good news? It's the longest one for this story so far, almost 6000 words (not including A/N's). Fair warning though, there's a lot of Early Modern English, so bear with me. Anyway, let's get to it!_

* * *

 _Disclaimer:_ _This story is mine, but I don't own the characters or any of Nintendo and Sega's properties._

* * *

 **Chapter 30:** Secret of the Bracelets

 _Location: The Underwhere_

Queen Jaydes entered her palace bedroom after another long night of weighing sins to some unfortunate souls who were sent here. **_(1)_** She was thoroughly exhausted.

"It's tough to be harsh to those people," Jaydes sighed to herself. "But as a queen, I must be honest and fair to them, even if they don't agree with my decisions." What she was referring to was that most of the people remained in the Underwhere as neutral citizens. Others were banished to become Skellobits. Not that many spirits were granted access to the heavenly realm above. She even had quarrels with a couple strangers, resulting in her D-Men to restrain the uncooperative souls and sent them straight to the far ends of the underworld. "Some don't mean any harm, but the real world is full of bad people. This was truly one of the roughest days I've experienced. I definitely need some rest."

Before she could change into her nightgown, her cell phone rang from the pocket of her purple robe. She checked the contact name.

"Grams? What could he be calling me for?" She pressed a green button to answer. "Grams, why do you call me at this hour?"

"Darling, I'm currently in a conflict right now, and I would liketh thy feedback on it."

"Oh, dear. What happened to Luvbi this time?"

"This is not about Luvbi. It's about Masters Luigi and Tails."

"Ah yes. The man in green and the two-tailed fox." Her nonchalant expression eventually changed into a concerned one. "Wait a minute. What's wrong about them?"

"I haven't told thou this before, but a few weeks ago, I collaborated withal Rebbi, Blubi, and Yebbi to allow them back to the real world and visit their older siblings."

The queen slightly jumped with surprise. "You did what?!"

"I gave them the opportunity to seeth their brothers once more to let them know that they're okay. It was only for a limited timeth."

"Why didn't you tell me this earlier?" she narrowed her eyes. "And wouldn't that break the rules of the Overthere?"

"It was only an exception to them because I was sympathetic."

"Grams, I wish you would've addressed this situation to me earlier. If any of the Nimbis, Shaydes, or D-Men learn about your actions, they might think that you are neither trustworthy nor considerate. It will ruin your reputation as King. Who exactly knows about this anyway?"

"Rebbi, Blubi, and Yebbi since they helped me build the Brotherhood Bracelets."

"Brotherhood Bracelets?"

"Yes. That's what I called them."

"Does Luvbi know perchance?"

"Um, about that..."

Suddenly, Jaydes heard a knock outside her door. "Your Darkness?"

"Oh, mercy. Who disturbs me at this time?" she grumbled with a soft voice. "Grams, please hold." She set the cell down on a table and opened the door as a D-Man looked up to her. "Damian, what business do you have?"

As one of the queen's servants, he wore a gray-striped suit. The other type of D-Men wore loincloths and were typically found in the Underwhere Road where they guide people up to the Overthere. What made him unique was the three spikes on top of his head whereas most D-Men had two, which is why Queen Jaydes addressed him by his name quickly.

"Sorry to bother you, my queen, but you have a visitor outside the hall."

"A visitor? Who is it?"

"It's your daughter."

Jaydes blinked as she held in her shock. "Luvbi?"

"Yes, your Majesty. And she wants to talk to you urgently."

Her daughter may have matured over the last few years, but she can be quite a handful sometimes. She doesn't like it when she threw fits or made disparaging comments, and she had a bad feeling that was the reason why she came here.

"Tell her to give me one minute." After closing the door, she hastily grabbed her phone. "What did you do, Grams?"

"About what?"

"Luvbi is apparently outside my room."

"She is?! So that's where she went!"

"You mean you didn't know?"

"I tried looking for her throughout the Overthere when I couldn't find her. I was not sure if she had run aroint, or went into hiding, or something liketh that. I swear, I didn't lose our daughter on purpose!"

"Just when I thought Luvbi wouldn't be involved with this," she pinched her nose. "Why did she come all this way to me?"

"I absolutely hast nay idea. Thou would'st think I would know the answer to that, but I honestly don't. All I know is that she was mad at me over something."

Jaydes sunk that statement in before she quietly hissed at Grambi. "Mad about what, might I ask?"

She heard him sigh as if he was frustrated. Truthfully, he was, but it was towards himself. "Regarding Luigi, Tails, and their Brotherhood Bracelets."

"Well, maybe that's why she was upset at you. I don't know the specific details about all this, but if it's something that Luvbi did not like, then it shouldn't be surprising that she would do such a thing."

"My dear, please tell Luvbi that I'm sorry and I didn't mean to upset her."

"You should apologize to her in person. I'm your wife, not a mail pigeon."

"Aye, thou art right."

Jaydes inhaled a deep breath before calming down. "Let me hear what Luvbi has to say first, and I'll see whether or not you're telling the truth."

"In mine defense, I am. And I'll make sure to talk to her first thing when I seeth her again."

"You're very lucky that she came here and didn't go missing again. I'll get back to you shortly," Jaydes hung up. She shook her head and sighed in frustration. "Grams, what did you do now?" she muttered to herself.

"My Queen? Are you alright?" Damian called from outside.

She regained her composure. "I am. Let her in, please."

Damian opened the door and let the teenage Nimbi float her way inside.

"Hello, Mother," Luvbi bowed.

"Luvbi," she acknowledged, "I know that I can be overprotective about your disappearances, but what on Earth are you doing here?"

"First of all, are thou aware of what Father did?"

The queen slightly gulped. "Do you want the truth?"

"Wherefore, aye. I doeth."

"Maybe a little bit." Jaydes noticed Luvbi's confused expression, but the Nimbi pressed forward.

"Well, thou doeth remember the taller, hairy man in green and his furry, yellow friend, right, Mother?"

"Yes, Luvbi. Of course I remember those two."

"After the mustached man gave the fox a tour of the Overthere, Father overheard them talking about how much they miss their older brothers back down in the real world. Tempting to make them feel better, he got help from Blubi, Rebbi, and Yebbi to make these special devices called the Brotherhood Bracelets. The sole purpose was to let them travel to the Mushroom Kingdom and reunite withal their families for a limited amount of timeth. And it's convenient that they're both in the same world because of a major accident that took placeth weeks ago. Father said he did not mind breaking the rules of the Overthere because he wanted them to art happy about it."

At least she knew Grambi did tell the truth. However, that didn't mean she was alright with it.

"And is that why you're upset?"

"No! I don't mind that at all! Considering they're kindhearted heroes, I thought they deserved a reward liketh that!"

Jaydes was perplexed at her response. "Then why are you upset at Grams?"

"Because he won't tell them the secret behind the bracelets!"

"Secret? What secret?"

"Father planted a special tracker called the Sibling Signal to indicate any bad events that happened to their older siblings. When it takes placeth in the real world, the tracker sets off a signal. Then, they would witness the incident from their bracelet. In the case that either one of them gets hurt or is in troubleth, they'll eventually know in a matter of timeth."

"Luvbi, I don't understand."

"He only gave them one opportunity to reunite withal their brothers. He refuses to let them hast a chance to see them again because in reality, the people of the afterlife cannot cross paths withal the living. But secretly, Luigi and Tails can override that rule under the title of Guardians Angels."

"Guardian Angels?" the queen reiterated.

Luvbi nodded. "Father came up withal this idea to give them more chances to art withal each other because of their history of good deeds which overpowers the sins that were bestowed upon them. Not to mention the facts that the fox's life was cut too short after a painful childhood and the green man has suffered too many instances of bad luck since infancy!"

The queen agreed that both Luigi and Tails had much more in store for them, especially for the latter. But she was curious about what her daughter was insinuating. "What exactly does this mean?"

"He was willing to give them a chance at revival!"

Jaydes' eyes suddenly enlarged. "Are you serious?"

"Aye, Mother! But because Father won't tell them the secret, that is wherefore I am angry at him! Even Luigi is upset at him! That's wherefore I flew hither to rant about him! It doesn't make senseth to hold it against them an he wanted them to art content in the first placeth!"

If there was one thing Queen Jaydes was surprised at, it was Luvbi's maturity. She used to be very childish and stubborn back when Mario first met the Nimbi girl. Although she still had trouble with her tantrums, she commonly expressed anger when she had a strong opinion about something towards other people's fates rather than herself.

"Oh, dear," Jaydes breathed in heavily, taking in all the information from her daughter. "At least I now know why you're incensed. I'm going to have a private conversation with Grams. But first, we need to get you back to the Overthere."

"Why not talk to him on the phone right now?"

"Because I think I need to speak to him in person. After all, this is regarding two cordial, yet deceased, spirits with a history of good and bad things that have happened to them. The last thing I want is to do is to be strict towards them, lest condemn them to hell."

"Hmm... How odd. The thought did cross Father's mind earlier when he was developing those bracelets."

"Let me say for the record that I do not approve of the fact that he allowed Luigi and Tails to return the real world, especially without telling me earlier. But I don't know. I'll have to see what his intentions were."

"Mother, did thou not hark to me? I already told thou everything!"

"I understand that, Luvbi."

"Do thou not trust thy adopted daughter?"

"Luvbi, that's a bit too personal to ask. Please calm down and relax. I'll escort you to the Overthere shortly."

The angel sighed. "Fine. I'll waiteth."

"Thank you." After Queen Jaydes got ready, she and Luvbi exited her bedroom and headed straight to the Underwhere Road. It was going to be a long journey back to the heavens above. _"Just when I thought I was going to get some beauty rest,"_ she groaned.

* * *

 _Location: Yurarin Isle_

Sweat started to form on Mario's face as he and his friends got closer to Mt. Yuruvius. Taking his cap off and rubbing his arm on his forehead, he eventually found the reason why it started to get hotter.

"Whoa," Sonic breathed. "Look at that."

Everyone stopped at a pit that was at least fifteen feet deep. A river of lava flowed between the land they were standing and, a cavernous entrance was found on the other side.

"This really looks familiar to me," Mario scratched the back of his head.

"How so, Mario?" Amy wondered.

"It's like I'm back on Lavalava Island."

"Lavalava Island?"

"Where's that?" Cream asked.

"That's down south of the Mushroom Kingdom," Peach answered.

"You mentioned briefly to us that you traveled there in one of your oldest adventures, Mario," Daisy recalled.

"I sure did."

"What did you do down there?" Sonic looked at him.

"Well, to give a little backstory, Peach held a party at the castle, but Bowser surprised everyone by carrying the entire place into the sky with his own fortress underneath it. Even before that, he stole a valuable object called the Star Rod, a magical wand that can grant anyone's wishes."

Amy's eyes widened. "Wow, that's amazing."

"You think it would be nice. But when it got into the wrong hands, chaos ensued."

"I can bet that," Sonic placed a hand on his hip.

"Bowser used the Star Rod to become invincible. I couldn't deal damage to him, and he easily defeated me. I was burned into unconsciousness before he knocked me out of Peach's Castle, miles high from the kingdom."

"Oh, dear!" Cream gasped with Cheese. "Were you okay after that, Mr. Mario?"

"Not really. It took me so long to recover from my injuries. But I was extremely lucky to survive everything."

Peach closed her eyes and held a hand over her mouth as she dreadfully reminisced that memory. It was just as bad as the second time Bowser carried her castle into space. Sonic felt sympathetic. He had some moments here and there against Eggman where the doctor did harm to him. But he thought Bowser had done worse if he was that determined to end Mario's life and take Peach for himself. And that was just _one_ instance from a countless amount of times.

"As I was saying, before I could even try to save Peach, the main objective of that quest was to save the seven Star Spirits. They are the guardians of the Star Rod who reside in Star Haven. Bowser imprisoned them into cards and separated them to various regions of the Mushroom Kingdom. He summoned his followers to guard the cards so that I wouldn't be able to rescue them easily. One of whom was imprisoned on Lavalava Island, which is a tropical locale where some of the Yoshis live...

"And just like where we are right now, there's a volcano on the island, and it could erupt at any moment. When I came across the entrance to Mt. Lavalava, a river of lava was in my way. We got help from Raphael the Raven and his tribe as they built a pulley system for us glide over the chasm and into the volcano." **_(2)_**

"Shoot. That's a lot to take in."

"It is, Sonic. But thankfully, my friends and I saved the Star Spirit trapped there, as well as the rest of them, and the Star Rod was taken out of Bowser's possession for good. At that point, however, we narrowly escaped the volcano when it erupted."

"Do you think we can find Nabbit and the Chaos Emerald before Mt. Yuruvius erupts?" Amy stared at the smoke emerging from the crater.

"Only if we're fast enough."

"That's no problem for me, of course!" Sonic smirked.

"There's just one problem," Daisy interrupted. "How do we even cross this gap? I mean, if we try to jump, we could burn ourselves in the lava!"

"If we had a pulley system like the ravens built for you, that could work out," Peach thought.

"You don't suppose those Yurarins are good at building, do you?" Amy questioned.

"Unfortunately, they're not very handy with tools and all that," Daisy shook her head.

"So, what are we supposed to do?" Sonic tapped his foot and crossed his arms.

"I mean, I have helped carry Amy and our friend, Big, several times before." _**(3)**_

"Who's Big?" inquired Peach.

"Oh, he's this large, purple cat who loves to go fishing. He also has a friend named Froggy."

"Do you think you could carry us one by one over the gap?"

"I could try if you don't mind."

"Cream, I honestly wouldn't risk it," Sonic refused. "Big may be... well, _big_. But even so, I don't think you should carry all of us. You might tire yourself out after a couple of trips back and forth."

"And in the case that we're too heavy, our weight could pull you down to the lava. I'd have to agree with Sonic," Mario preferred being safe than sorry.

"But if we can't rely on Cream, what other options do we have?" Daisy was clueless.

Suddenly, Cheese perceived some bushes rustling behind him. He grabbed Cream's right ear, signaling what he just heard.

"What is it, Cheese?" She then gasped. "Guys! We gotta hide!"

"Huh? Why is that, Cream?"

Mario soon saw what they were referring to. "Get down!" he hissed at everyone. Not wanting to argue, the heroes ran a couple feet away to sneak behind some trees. Sonic and Mario climbed individual ones as they peeked from the palm leaves.

"It's those Koopa buffoons," Amy gasped.

"Shh!" Daisy shushed. "We have to stay quiet. We don't want to get caught!"

"My turn again," they heard Private Goomp as he and the rest of the Elite Trio stroll over to where they were earlier. "Are you an enemy of some sort?"

"Yes, I am," Corporal Paraplonk replied.

"Are you an enemy normally found in the jungle?"

"Um, sort of."

"Are you a flying animal?"

"Nope."

"Drat."

"Okay," Sergeant Guy spoke up. "Can you be found in the water?"

"Yes."

"Hmm... Are you a species of a Cheep Cheep?"

"Uh-huh."

"Okay. Are you a-"

"Will you three knock it off?" Kamek grunted in annoyance. "I wasn't tasked to babysit you underlings."

"Uh, remind me again what your goal is," Goomp replied.

"Don't make me repeat it. _You_ tell me."

"Uh..." Both Paraplonk and Sergeant slapped his face to get him to focus. "Oh, right! We need to find that Nabbit guy!"

"And why do we need to find him?"

"So... we can get the Chaos Emerald?"

"See, that wasn't so hard, was it? And don't forget, we need a piece of Mario's hair for the doctor."

That seemed to get Mario's attention. He narrowed his eyes, wondering what Bowser and Eggman are even plotting back at the castle. Sonic glanced at him, thinking of the same thing.

"No sign of Nabbit here," Sergeant adjusted the silver pipe behind his back.

"And I don't see Mario or the others around here," Paraplonk had his hand over his eyes, seeking the grassy landscape around him.

"But look!" Goomp spotted the cave. "That seems to be the volcano entrance! Maybe Nabbit ran off into there!"

"Hmm... An intriguing prediction," Kamek rubbed a claw under his chin. "Private, get on my broomstick. Corporal, carry Sergeant over the lava."

"Yes, sir!" the Elite Trio did what they were told. Kamek flew his broomstick across the wide gap while Paraplonk fluttered his wings before he set Sergeant Guy down gently.

"Now, let's see what's inside, shall we?"

The heroes emerged from the trees after they disappeared in sight.

"Great," Sonic huffed. "Here we are, unable to cross the lava river, and those idiots are already ahead of us! Now how are we going to get the Chaos Emerald before them?"

Mario thought thoroughly for a while as he searched his surroundings. Then, he suddenly had an idea. He pulled out his steel hammer and turned to the pink hedgehog.

"Amy!"

"Yes, Mario?"

"Grab your hammer and help me knock down a nearby tree. We can use the trunk as a bridge."

"Good idea! I'm on it!"

The two ran over to the closest one near the lava and started to hit the base multiple times. Whack after whack, the trunk was about to topple over.

"And I thought you could only chop down trees with axes," Peach mumbled.

"Well, Amy always has a good grip with her hammer. I know so much from experience."

"What was that, Sonic?"

"Uh, nothing, Amy! Keep going! You two are doing great!"

Amy dismissed his comment and proceeded to aid Mario until the bole fell over the gap. It made a loud sound, which somehow went unnoticed by Bowser's followers from inside.

"Good work, you two!" Daisy smirked. "Now we can cross the lava and head into the volcano!"

"Ladies first," Mario held a hand out.

Amy stepped onto the trunk and spread her arms out to the side to balance herself. Cream followed the hedgehog. Although she was a bit scared of slipping, she knew she could use her long ears to spin and fly in case she was about to fall. Cheese easily flew over to Cream. The princesses were next, and they carefully made it to the other side without any concern.

"You go next, Sonic."

"No problem," he gave a thumbs-up. He sprinted on the tree trunk and stopped in front of the girls. However, the wind effect from his running accidentally reached Peach, Daisy, and Amy that their skirts flew up. They had to hold them down by their hands.

"Good lord!" yelled Daisy.

"Sonic! Give us a warning next time!" Amy was angered.

"Whoops. My bad!" he awkwardly shrugged his shoulders.

"Come on, Mario!" called Peach. "We're all waiting for you."

"I'm coming!" he hopped onto the trunk. However, during his walk, the volcano shook the entire island once again. Mario almost lost his balance and waved his arms out.

"Mario!"

He stopped in place for a second. "Whew. Don't worry, I'm fine!"

Everyone was focused on Mario that no one saw that the middle of the trunk was unstable, considering there was a hardly noticeable crack in the bark. When Mario stepped on it, the tree nearly split into two parts as he collapsed.

"MARIO!" everyone shouted.

Sonic rushed over to the edge. He barely caught a glimpse of Mario who hung onto a part of the trunk. He daringly stood up and pushed his feet off the tree with a jump. As it fell into the lava, Mario barely grabbed the side of the cliff. Before he could use his might to climb, the edge crumbled, and he started falling again. Peach and the others gasped, but Sonic reacted in time to dive onto the ground and stretch his arm out to clasp Mario's hand.

"Sonic!"

"Hang on! I-I got you! Urgh!"

Peach and Daisy ran up over to help Sonic lift Mario onto the surface. The mustached man wheezed from his close call.

"Are you alright, Mario?" Peach worriedly asked.

Putting a hand over his heart, he tried to calm down. "Yeah... I am now... I appreciate you guys for saving me."

Sonic was slightly relieved to hear that. "Dude, I don't know why, but you've been starting to get some bad luck thrown at you recently."

"Thanks for reminding me," he rolled his eyes. "Personally, lava is a bigger threat to me. I always get myself burnt when I'm not careful."

"It's not like it was your fault though. We just didn't expect the volcano to rumble at that time. And we didn't think the tree would fall."

"But at least we made it to the other side. Let's check out the volcano," said Amy. She led the way with the girls and Cheese following behind. Sonic didn't move, to which Mario noticed.

"Sonic? Is everything alright?"

"Huh? Oh, yeah. Sure."

He raised an eyebrow. "Positive?"

"Of course. Why wouldn't I be?"

"Sonic, I'm your friend. You can tell me what's wrong or what's on your mind."

The hedgehog exhaled a long sigh. "I didn't want to lose you."

Mario placed a hand on his shoulder. "You saved me from falling in the lava. In a way, that kind of makes up for the Bullet Bill incident."

"Yeah, I guess so," Sonic beamed a little.

"Anything else you want to talk about?"

"Yeah. I'm starting to think that we shouldn't have brought Cream with us."

Mario didn't bother to ask why. He understood his point. "I see."

"She already had to deal with Tails' loss, and losing her would just be devastating, you know? She's only a six-year old bunny with a pure heart, yet an innocent mind. She should have stayed on the cruise ship. But here she is, already in the depths of a freaking volcano. The last thing I want from her is to lose her life quickly."

"You're probably right. But I'm afraid it's too late to go back."

"Shit," Sonic lightly facepalmed as he shook his head. "It's gonna be my fault if she gets hurt or worse."

"I'll take part of the blame if that happens."

"What good does that do?"

"Not much. But I won't let you put a burden on yourself alone. If anything, I should have stopped her from even going off the ship. That way, we wouldn't have to worry about her safety. I probably should've told Peach as well."

"Mario, don't put this on your shoulders. _I'm_ practically the one looking after her besides Vanilla. Oh, man. I almost forgot about her."

"Vanilla... Is that Cream's mother?"

Sonic nodded. "She must be worried sick that Cream's gone missing in Mobius. My other friends are probably trying to ease things up with her." If only he knew about what happened to the rest of his pals.

"Let's try not to think about the negatives anymore. Let's just find Nabbit and get the Chaos Emerald before Kamek and the Elite Trio do. Then, we'll rush out of the volcano so that we'll all be safe."

With another deep breath, Sonic embraced himself as he listened to his red-clad buddy. "Alright then. Sounds like a plan. By the way, you heard what Kamek said about you, right?"

"Yeah, I did."

"Why do they need a hair from you?"

Mario could only shrug as his response. Setting that aside, the two rushed into the musty, volcanic chamber.

* * *

 _Location: The Overthere_

It had been several hours since Luvbi fled the cloudy region to see her mother and rant at her. Most of the residents prepared to turn in for the day to get some beauty sleep. Out of the few that were still awake, Grambi was pondering in his private bedroom with a discouraged look on his face. His beard and eyebrows drooped, feeling ashamed of his act of kindness that he offered to Luigi and Tails a few weeks ago. He was slowly regretting his decision as it produced complications for everyone who knows about this.

"I really made things worse than before," Grambi conveyed despair. "Both ladies are disappointed in me. And I can't help but think that it's only the beginning of the end."

Inconveniently, two knocks came from outside his door. "Grams?"

"Oh, sirrah." He paused to inhale a deep breath. "Calm thyself, Grambi. Thou art in troubleth, but try to not make it worse," he whispered to himself. "Come in."

The large doors of his bedroom opened to reveal his beloved wife. She appeared nonchalant, but looks can be deceiving.

"Jaydes, mine wife, it's good to seeth thou again."

The queen had a feeling her husband would start off like that, opening with a greeting as if there wasn't an elephant in the room.

"Grams," she blankly replied.

"Where is Luvbi? I need to speak withal her."

"You can talk to her later. I told Luvbi to wait outside your room." Grambi only responded with a silent nod. "Darling, I think it's time you tell me everything. Luvbi already gave me a general idea of what you did. And now, I want to hear from you."

"I was afraid thou were going to ask that question. Where doeth I begin?"

"Although I won't rush you, I'll say that my patience is running thin."

"Alright. First and foremost, thou hast to think back to the day when thou, Luvbi, and I spent some family timeth together. That morning, I welcomed Master Tails to his new home. Before Luvbi and I seteth off to greet thee, Luigi was kind enough to bewray him the Overthere. When we returned to the shrine, I overheard them talking about their older siblings. All they wanted was to seeth them again despite the fact that their fates were sealed, and thou sent them hither for all eternity. Just to make them happy, I devised the Brotherhood Bracelets to give them one small reunion between the heroes. Keep in mind, I did not give them a second life. I only offered a chance to reunite withal them and let Masters Mario and Sonic know that their little brothers are doing fine. And it was only temporary. Doth that clear things up?"

Jaydes only blinked before murmuring to him. "Long story short, it did. Kind of."

"Kind of?"

"Luvbi mentioned to me that you had the intention of reviving them."

"Pardon me? She told thou that?"

"She certainly did. Luvbi also described something called a Sibling Signal, which is the reason why the two know what's going on down in the real world." Jaydes then narrowed her eyes at Grambi. "Care to explain more to me?"

Despondently, Grambi turned around and walked over to his chalice. Staring at his reflection, he forced the words out of his mouth. "To art frank, I clearly wasn't thinking about the consequences too much when I developed this resolve. Knowing how much they hast done to their respective worlds, I wanted them to protect their loved ones."

Queen Jaydes tilted her head, prompting him to continue.

"Bowser and Dr. Eggman are two of the most notorious villains of the entire universe. Thou already know about the former, of course. That Koopa is a selfish beast when he's not forced to art on the good side. The same can art said for the doctor, too. Knowing that they almost ended Mario and Sonic's games, thither is nay doubt that they are eager to try again. And I know so...

"Looking back, I didn't believe that any of them deserved to hast their lives cut short. But those dastardly villains showed nay mercy. Thou already know what happened after that. Thou already know wherefore thou weighed their sins. What thou probably didn't know was how much they were all hurting on the inside. Mario misses Luigi. Sonic misses Tails. Both younger brothers miss their own family. I made those bracelets to give them the chance to talk amongst themselves. But secretly, I wanted them safe to prevent the worlds from falling in the hands of their enemies. That's where the Sibling Signal plays an integral role in all this...

"The Sibling Signal is used to track down a dangerous event that takes placeth in the real world. The signal transmits a notification to their devices so that they know what happened. I exclusively added this feature to the angels' bracelets. The purpose is to let them rescue their older brothers from danger. But since the signals only give them an update on something that already happened, the alternative is to let them returneth to the Mushroom Kingdom and disguise themselves as ordinary people. From thither, they would aid Mario and Sonic from any hazards that get in their way, including Bowser and Dr. Eggman...

"However, what I had done was absolutely risky. By nay means should I hast allowed them to returneth the world below. Originally, I wanted Luigi and Tails to hast a small reunion. In another case, I wanted to offer them another chance to live life happily."

"Then why did you do it?"

King Grambi slowly turned to his wife with a solemn expression. "All because of her."

"Who?"

"Our daughter," he choked on his words.

Those two words made Jaydes paint the picture of what he was referencing. She then saw how depressed he looked that she went over and laid a gentle hand on his shoulder.

"When Luvbi reverted to her original form, I lost so much soul in mine core. After the prophesied heroes left the Overthere, I was distraught. Our goal was to protect the Pure Heart, but we spent so much timeth together that we accepted her as part of our family. And to seeth her hie was the breaking point. We knew we couldn't keep the secret to ourselves forever. She was destined to know anon enough. And when she did, she argued withal us. She hated us. She hated the fact that she wasn't meant to art a living Nimbi. I was at an all timeth low. Her face was all I could think about. I had troubleth sleeping, I couldn't think straight, I wasn't focused. Everything about me came falling apart. But I had to accept her loss. Everyone doth when they lose a loved one...

"But when she suddenly came back, I took in this miracle to love her as mine daughter once again. Anon after, I called thou over. And seeing the reaction on thy face warmed mine heart. I was so joyful that we reunited as a whole family that I didn't care about how or wherefore she mysteriously came back to life...

"Just from that moment alone, that's wherefore I created the Brotherhood Bracelets for Mario, Sonic, Luigi, and Tails."

"Oh, Grams..." she gave him a hug. "Now I understand everything. You wanted the red and blue heroes to experience the same thing we did years ago. Is that so?"

The Nimbi King nodded. "Aye. That was mine goal."

She slowly pulled away to glimpse at his sorrow face once more. "I must say, I agree that what you did was indeed risky. But I can tell you never meant to make things complicated, to say the least. Although I was disappointed that you didn't tell me earlier, I'm now glad you did."

"And I'm grateful that thou understand."

"However," she interrupted, "it's not fair for Luigi and Tails if they do not know about this. After all, you _did_ want to give them another spare life. Why not explain it to them?"

"Truthfully, I thought it wouldn't art appropriate to talk about it immediately when I gave them the bracelets."

"Honey, they need to know sooner or later. Like our secret with Luvbi, we can't keep it forever."

"Aye, thou art right."

Jaydes planted an affectionate kiss on his bald head. Blushing, Grambi felt relieved that his wife accepted his explanation. Later, they heard a knock on the door.

"Oh, heavens. We kept Luvbi waiting outside for too long."

"That's on me. I'll get the door. Besides, I need to apologize to her." He fluttered over and saw the Nimbi with a blank stare. "Luvbi, I-"

What he didn't expect was her daughter running up to him and wrapping her wings over his body. She gripped the king tightly in her grasp.

"Luvbi, please forgive me. For everything. I owe thee such a huge apology."

"Oh, Father... Thou art forgiven. I heard everything from outside."

"Th-Thou did?"

"Aye. Now I know the reason wherefore thou wanted to art so kind to them."

"Are thou still mad about it?"

"Not anymore."

Grambi sighed of relief. "Thank thee..."

Jaydes smiled to see them reconcile. She joined in on the family hug. They all stayed there for a short while until Grambi spoke up again.

"I guess I should explain everything to Luigi and Tails now."

Luvbi's grin disappeared when he said that. "Um, that's great, Father. But, about that..."

"What's wrong, Luvbi?" questioned Jaydes.

"Thou might want to check outside the door."

"Wherefore is that?"

She didn't answer her father. She only gestured with her wing to head over. Grambi took the lead with Jaydes and Luvbi following behind. As soon as he opened the door, the first thing they saw was the two-tailed fox and the green-clad plumber, both sharing an upset expression.

 _ **END OF CHAPTER**_

* * *

 _Alright, since it's been too long since I posted, in case any of you need a refresher, let's go over what happened prior to this chapter, as well as the current situation._

 _Grambi created the Brotherhood Bracelets and introduced them to Luigi and Tails back in Ch. 12. After their small reunion, the two realize that there was more to the bracelets when Mario saved Sonic from the Bullet Bill that Eggman shot. Grambi had kept this secret for so long until now when Luvbi confronted Queen Jaydes. And because of that, you now understand Grambi's rationalization. Or at least I hope you know. But do you know who's not happy about this? Well, I don't really need to say it._

 _Eventually, we'll pick up from here to find out what happens next. Until then, thanks again for being patient with this upload. Please review down below, follow/favorite for more, and I'll see you all for Ch. 31 of New Brotherhood! This is TGN, signing off._

* * *

 ** _Post-Chapter Notes:_**

 ** _(1):_** _For me, Queen Jaydes was one of the most interesting characters in Super Paper Mario. I've only given her a couple mentions here and there, but she finally makes an appearance in this story. (Pop the confetti guns.)_

 ** _(2):_** _The inspiration for Mario and Sonic's next journey comes from Ch. 5 of Paper Mario. Like Lavalava Island, the red hero will have to explore into the depths of another volcano._

 ** _(3):_** _Cream had the role of the 'Flight' character for Team Rose in Sonic Heroes._


	32. Ch 31: Guardians of the Overthere

_A/N:_ _I'm sure most of you are aware of why I have been posting updates rather than actual chapters, so I don't want to bother you guys by repeating myself. For a different case, I appreciate for waiting this long and giving me support when I needed it again._

 _What did make me happy was the fact that New Brotherhood is now at **50 favorites** , **20,000 views** , and over **200 reviews**! And because of the last part, it is the second most reviewed story under the Mario and Sonic crossover page as of this upload! I want to thank all the reviewers and readers out there from the bottom of my heart. This is good enough of an early Christmas present to me. Now, I'll finally return the favor with a new chapter. I actually struggled to come up with this. But hopefully, it turned out alright._

* * *

 _Disclaimer:_ _I don't own anything related to Mario or Sonic. I only take credit for this fanfiction._

* * *

 **Chapter 31:** Guardians of the Overthere **_(1)_**

'Oh nay' were the two words Grambi would've said in this situation. But he remained frozen that he wasn't able to speak as Luigi and Tails glared at him. Not even Luvbi or Jaydes had anything to say. Grambi honestly couldn't tell if they were cross, disappointed, or both. He only assumed it was the last of those feelings. It took a while to regain his composure, yet he wasn't looking forward to this conversation.

"Luigi, Tails, please let me explain."

Out of character, the green-hatted angel let out his emotions. "Why did you do this?! Were you trying to do something nice for us, or did you want us to think that everything would be okay and we'll move on from our meet-up?!" Luigi didn't care that hot tears were falling down from his eyes.

"Luigi, please, I just want to apologize."

With a broken voice, Tails was on the verge of sniveling as well. "For what? That you let me get a chance to see Sonic? That you allowed Luigi to reunite with Mario? That you even built these bracelets for us?"

"First off, thou hast every right to be mad at me for keeping this secret from thee."

"And we _are_ mad," Luigi clenched his hands.

"I don't blame thou for that. I clearly didn't think this through. But I still wanted thou all to art happy."

"King Grambi, as much as we appreciated the fact you let us see our brothers, I don't know why you also had to risk the idea that we could suffer a fate that's worse than death alone. Not only that, but you specifically told us that we weren't going to be resurrected. We had to accept our futures and move on. But you go ahead and do _this_ to us?"

"That's why I wherefore to admit mine mistakes." He looked back at his wife and daughter. "Jaydes, Luvbi, doeth thou mind?"

"Not at all, Grams." She then gave the angels a sympathetic gaze. "Luigi, Tails, I hope you have the heart to accept his apology. He truly feels bad about lying to you," Jaydes excused herself out of the room.

Luvbi followed behind but not before she whispered something to the angels. "I was mad at him liketh thou guys. But thou hast to understand his rationale. Don't art too hard on him."

Tails and Luigi entered inside before Luvbi closed the doors. Despite the tension in the chamber, Grambi offered a tissue to Luigi so he could wipe his tears. He also gave one to Tails just in case.

"So, why did you truly build the bracelets for us?" the fox asked. Luigi remained silent, crossing his arms in front of his torso and retained his glare at the ruler. The light casting through the window made his watery eyes glisten. The Nimbi felt very bad for the young Mario brother.

"Although thou art from different worlds, I've seen thou two grow into such noble, altruistic heroes. Thou wanted to support thy close ones e'en an it meant giving up thy own lives. I overheard thou two talking about how much thou miss them. And I wanted to doeth something that thou deserve given thy past history because I knew how life treated thee unfairly before thou made thy sacrifices."

Tails' facial expression slightly softened. Luigi's hardly changed.

"Luigi, you've been neglected or forgotten despite thy efforts. Everyone mostly focused on thy brother while thou were living in his shadow for so long. And e'en though some people respected thee, it was always short-lived. Tails, thy first several years were filled withal nothing but trauma. Thou were bullied over something that thou had nay control over, and that was just wrong of those animals to doeth that to thee. At least Sonic was kind to care of thy well-being. Still, thou also had a similar experience to Luigi where Sonic's heroics overshadow thy own work."

"I guess that's true," the kitsune mumbled. The angel in overalls kept his mouth closed.

"Regardless, both of thee have developed character, heart, and bravery in thy own ways. Of course, thy brothers were thither for thee when thou needed support. All I wanted was to let thou doeth the same to them down below, e'en an it was for a short while. That is wherefore I built the Brotherhood Bracelets. However, the idea of bringing thou back to life was something I thought of because of what happened to mine daughter. Luigi, thou remember, right?"

The man blinked before he silently bobbed his head.

"It's just that... I was too scared to explain this because it might backfire. It could force Jaydes to send thee to the darker depths of the Underwhere. I ne'r meant to crush thy spirits. I just played it safe so thou wouldn't suffer through more cruelty."

Grambi found it extremely hard to look at their faces after finishing his speech. Since he first saw Luigi, the plumber remained broken, unable to stop his flow of tears. And seeing Tails in such despair hurt his heart, especially since he's still technically a kid who lost so much of his innocence. Grambi was waiting to hear them rant again. But instead, the chamber was completely quiet. The two hadn't moved at all, standing still like statues. Eventually, he saw Luigi unfold his arms. With a quivering mouth, he spoke no louder than a whisper.

"I wish you told us earlier."

Grambi sulked in front of him. "I know. And I'm verily sorry I kept this from thee. Are thou still mad at me?"

Luigi closed his eyes, trying to breathe properly after his breakdown from earlier. "Yes. But I'm not as angry as before."

"I wasn't really mad. Nevertheless, I was despondent. Here I thought, maybe there was a chance we could actually be revived, but it was kind of a stupid thought. Now that you brought it up, I don't know how I feel if you even let us get the chance. After all, what are we supposed to do? Are we going to get a second venture in life? Or are we only going to visit our original homes temporarily? Plus, even if we do go back, can we stay in spirit form or do we have to be in disguise like before. And what other boundaries are we not allowed to cross?" asked Tails.

Grambi sighed before turning his back towards them. "Luvbi has explained this secret to her mother, but I don't think she told thee. The thing is, since thou two are very special, I was considering the possibility of promoting thy statuses."

"Promoting our statuses?"

"What does that even mean?" Luigi was bemused.

"I can grant thee the title of Guardian Angels."

"Guardian Angels?" they both replied.

"Yes. Every once in a while, I can allow thee to stay in the Mushroom Kingdom to looketh after thy older brothers and help them from any sort of danger. Liketh thy brief reunion, thy spirit forms wilt remain the same. However, thou still hast to keep thy identities hidden from everyone else."

"So, does that mean I can't see Daisy, Peach, or any of my friends?"

"And does that apply to me as well, in regard to Amy, Cream, and everyone else I know in Mobius?"

Grambi solemnly shook his head. "It's still precarious to let everyone else know about thy appearances. Only to mine knowledge, Mario and Sonic are the only individuals who are aware that thou revisited the world below. It is for the best that they don't know unless desperate matters come into play."

"What does 'desperate matters' entail to?" Luigi raised an eyebrow.

"Hypothetically speaking, when thy brothers are on the brink of death and their sworn enemies rise up to taketh over the world."

Then, Tails realized something. "I almost forgot, King Grambi. We keep getting more updates from our bracelets. First, Sonic got stuck in an oasis and nearly got washed away from a gigantic wave."

"Is that so?"

"He's right," Luigi backed up the fox. "I also got a signal about that, except Mario was the one who got knocked out. And just recently, he nearly fell into a pit of lava on some kind of island. If I remember correctly, they're in the Muda Kingdom, which is part of Sarasaland and Daisy's kingdom."

"Do all these things have to do with the Sibling Signal you mentioned?"

Grambi nodded. "As I said before, these are up-to-date events, meaning they hast already occurred."

"But what exactly are they doing?"

The Nimbi looked down at the floor, prompting Luigi and Tails to look at him curiously. "I hope thou don't mind, but I want to speak to mine wife and daughter first. Please excuse me. Thou can taketh a seat over thither."

Luigi and Tails stepped aside to allow Grambi access. When he floated out of his bedroom, Jaydes and Luvbi were surprised to see him.

"Grams, what are you doing out here?" the queen looked down at him.

"Weren't thou talking to the angels?" Luvbi wondered.

"I was. But I need to talk to thee about something."

Grambi spent several minutes with his family, discussing the new issue that has been brought up. Back inside, Luigi and Tails loitered in the corner of the room. The fox moved his legs back and forth, awaiting the doors to open and a response from the elderly Nimbi. The man in green had settled down and was no longer weeping. Regardless, his heart was beating slow, full of fear and adrenaline. He twiddled his thumbs, something he normally did back home whenever he waited or was unsure of anything.

"What do you think they're talking about?" Luigi asked his friend.

"I don't know. It's weird because the last thing I questioned was about Sonic and Mario."

"Do you really think that everything he said was true?"

"I mean, he's the king of the Overthere. I'm sure he's always going to be honest, even if he doesn't tell the truth immediately like in this case. I still trust him after he's been so kind to us since I first came here. I know you got to meet the man when you were alive, but I can bet you know much about him. Do you kind of see where I'm going with this?"

"A little."

"I mean, if he will allow us to go back down and see them, we can take advantage of this. Of course, we have to obey his rules if we don't want to go to hell for eternity."

"That's true. Maybe-"

Luigi stopped when he saw the doors reopen. He and Tails stood up as they saw Grambi face them with Jaydes and Luvbi standing at his sides.

"Luigi, Tails, at first, I was going to say that we could looketh into the chalice to seeth what they're doing since it's more accurate on current events. But after we had our talk, we hast agreed to let thee become Guardian Angels and returneth to the Mushroom Kingdom."

"Really?!" the angels sounded hopeful.

Queen Jaydes nodded. "We believe you are worthy enough to pay your siblings another visit down below. Because of this, I can negate some of the rules of the Underwhere for you. However, you can only interact with your brothers. We can't gamble the possibility that your spirits will be discovered by anyone else."

Luigi and Tails were a bit saddened about the last part. Nevertheless, they were grateful to go back and see Mario and Sonic.

"Now before we get started, I wilt ask thee the following. Doeth thou, Master Luigi and Master Tails, promise to protect thy brothers from any source of harm or peril?"

"We promise," they said together.

"Do thou swear to only interact withal thy brothers during thy timeth down in the real world?"

"We swear."

"And finally, an at all thou commit any instances of breaking the rules of the afterlife, wilt thou accept responsibility and deal withal the consequences as determined by Queen Jaydes?"

"We will."

"Then I hereby officially deem thee as Guardian Angels!"

To the angels' surprise, a spark of light emerged in front of them. Shining brightly, it split into two and entered their bodies. They both glowed with a yellow aura surrounding them, feeling more invigorated than before.

"How doeth thou feel?" Luvbi fluttered over to ask.

"Much better than before," Luigi beamed.

"Thank you so much for doing this," Tails bowed, to which his friend did the same.

"Well then, what are thou waiting for? Thou know how to use the Brotherhood Bracelets," urged Grambi.

"Good luck to you both," Jaydes gave her blessing.

The green plumber and the yellow fox turned to each other and clasped each other's gloved hand. With determination and euphoria rushing through their veins, the Guardian Angels were prepared for their new goal.

"To the Muda Kingdom!" Luigi called out.

The Brotherhood Bracelets emitted another beam of light, engulfing the angels until they vanished in front of Grambi, Jaydes, and Luvbi. Soon after, the Nimbi daughter faced her parents. The King and Queen glanced at her before she came up and spread her wings out, catching them in a long, warming embrace.

"I hope I did the right thing," Grambi mumbled.

"What mattered was that they now know your intentions," Jaydes reminded him. "And since you entrusted them to look after their own family, I'm positive that they can also look after themselves, too."

"I'm sure they'll art fine," said Luvbi. "If thou trust them, then so can I."

Grambi agreed with his wife and child. It felt comforting to know that he had people who cared for him and respected his decisions. After all, that's a part of family.

* * *

 _Location: Yurarin Isle_

Exploring the inside of a volcano was nothing new to Mario. He imagined it being hot with a lot of lava flowing inside. And if he had to guess, the only way he and his friends were going to escape the volcano was through the caldera. That would be the case if the volcano was about to erupt. Knowing his luck, however, it was likely going to happen.

With Sonic, Peach, Daisy, Amy, Cream, and Cheese, the heroes made their descent down the dark cavern. Heading into the next room of the volcanic chamber, there was a large layout of rock platforms floating above the surface of the bubbling lava. Some looked like they would sink if anyone were to stand on it for a short time while others appeared to be both solid and safe.

"So... who wants to go first?" Daisy looked at her friends.

"Nose goes!" Sonic touched said body part with his finger.

Amy put her hands on her hips. "Sonic! This is no time to play games!"

"I'll do the honors," Mario told them. He leaped onto the first platform which started to drop. He quickly hopped over to the next one, same as the first. The third rock had a larger surface area. When Mario got there, he didn't feel it sinking. "This one is safe!"

"We should definitely go one at a time so that we won't have two people step on the same rock that would sink," suggested Peach.

Cream kept staring at the flowing lava. "Um, I don't know if I can make this by myself."

"I'll go with you, Cream," Sonic offered.

"Chao Chao?" Cheese tapped his shoulder.

"Of course, Cheese. You'll come with us as well. We'll go last though."

Amy decided to go second. She made it to the rock where Mario stood. Once she got there, Mario moved on ahead to the next safest platform. Peach was next, followed by Daisy. Sonic carried Cream on his back and leaped across the rocks, taking his time instead of rushing through the obstacles like he normally does. Cheese freely fluttered behind the blue hedgehog. Soon after, everyone made it to the end of the path.

"That wasn't so bad," said Daisy.

"I agree," Sonic nodded. "Now we have to find out where Nabbit is."

Heading into the next area, they looked up to see what was above. A pathway was connected to the walls of the volcano. Along the way, there were a couple of metal platforms that were hung by chains, several poles, moving Fire Bars, and trampolines. Several enemies were found here as well. A few Spinies crept along the rocky ledges, Lava Bubbles jumped from the lava tides and in between the platforms, and a large set of creepy eyes stared directly at the heroes.

Amy froze in fear when she saw them. "Um, guys? What the heck is that?" she pointed in that direction.

"Oh, crap..." Mario quietly mumbled to himself. "That's a Magmaargh!"

"A Mag-what now?" Sonic turned to him.

"Magmaarghs are these giant molten creatures that emerge from the lava," Peach explained. "And yes, seeing their eyes is very unsettling." **_(2)_**

"Is it just me, or does it look like they're very hungry?" Amy took a step back.

"They always look hungry, which is why we need to run!" shouted Mario.

The Magmaargh soon rose from the lava pool and roared loudly. Its mouth was wide open, ready to devour (and burn) its nearby victims.

"EEK!" Cream shrieked.

Sonic acted out of impulse and carried Cream. He dashed away while the other followed after him. Mario was the last to get out of there, and he narrowly avoided the Magmaargh as its mouth passed through the stone pathway they initially stood on.

"Holy chili cheese dogs! I didn't come to this volcano to become a snack!" Sonic panted.

"Why did it try to eat us alive?!" Amy scowled.

"Those monsters always stay in the lava up until something stands or moves in front of them. Whenever they feel like it, they rise up and close their mouths to try and chomp us. I've had many experiences of barely dodging those guys."

Cream started hugging Cheese for comfort as both of them started bawling. "That was really scary! We almost got eaten alive! It was almost as scary as Bowser."

Sonic crouched over to the bunny, soothing her by rubbing her back gently. Internally, the hedgehog was mad at himself for nearly letting Cream get into danger. "Don't worry, Cream. Neither Bowser nor that lava bozo will scare you again."

"You promise, Mr. Sonic?"

"Chao?"

He forced a smile and a thumbs-up. "You bet."

Cream and Cheese were able to calm down thanks to him. "If you say so."

Daisy started to fan herself with her hand. "Looks like we have to do some serious platforming and athletics if we want to scale this part of the volcano."

"If it gets us closer to Nabbit, then we shouldn't hesitate. Do you want to go first again, Mario?" Peach looked down at him.

"Sure. I'll make sure I don't go too far ahead."

Mario led the heroes as they walked up the stone incline. He made it to the first gap where a metal platform hung in front of him. With a hop, his weight pushed the platform down at a tilted angle. Cream and Amy gasped, but they were relieved to see the plumber make it to the other side with ease. Peach and Daisy followed after him. Both had little to no trouble as well.

"You have to be quick, but don't panic," Mario called from the other side.

Amy took a deep breath as she prepared herself. Her legs stretched out like a ballerina performing a grand jeté. She managed to grip the chain and stayed there for a while until she felt the platform descend. Gasping, she quickly sprang over to Mario who caught her in his arms.

"Whew. Thanks, Mario." He gave Amy a nod as he helped her stand up straight.

Cream opted to spin her ears and hover across. Cheese flew behind her, and they both made it safely. Sonic was quick enough to jump over and reach the others that the platform barely moved. The next obstacle was the set of poles. Mario demonstrated his climbing ability by positioning himself and jumping from one to the other until he reached the next part of the pathway. The others repeated his actions except for the Chao. Following that, the plumber bounced high off a trampoline. After he got up on the ledge, Mario waited for the others to jump and reached his arms out to grab their hands and pull them up.

"Watch out for those Spinies up ahead," Daisy pointed at the enemies crawling towards them.

"They're easy to handle if we have strong hammers," Mario glanced at Amy.

She returned a smirk. "I'm onto your plan, Mario."

They rushed over and took care of the Spinies, slamming their mallets on their hard, spiked shells. All that remained were the Fire Bars which wasn't as dangerous. Nevertheless, everyone was careful to time their jumps and avoided the moving fire. They took a moment to catch their breath.

"Whew. I'm glad we made it through all that," Peach smiled.

"With that out of the way, let's hope Nabbit is nearby. I'm getting a bit tired of this chase," said Sonic.

"Except there's one problem," Amy pointed out to everyone. "We're at a dead end."

"You mean we came all this way for nothing?!"

"Hold on, Sonic," Daisy stopped him. "I feel as if there has to be a hidden passage somewhere. Although I have never investigated the volcano myself, I've heard of rumors that the Yurarin Boos excavated secret caves to search for treasure. They might be blocked or something."

"How do we even find the passage?"

"That's a good question."

"So, does that mean you know the answer?" Sonic queried.

"Unfortunately, no."

"Ugh, great. What are we going to do now?"

Mario stared at the wall and noticed a strange outline. To him, it resembled the shape of a standard cave entry. On the sides, there were two sconces with some unlit torches held in place. That's when he snapped his fingers, causing everyone to look at him.

"What is it, Mario?" asked Peach.

He pulled a Fire Flower from his pocket. "It's a good thing I kept some of these with me." Despite wearing tropical attire, the only significant change was the color of his sunhat. It changed to white with a red stripe around the border. He summoned a fireball inches above his hand. "Stand back, everyone. I don't want to burn any of you on accident."

They soon realized what he was doing and listened to his command. Mario hurled the fire into the left sconce and lit up the torch. He repeated this for the torch on the right. Seconds later, the place rumbled. Thankfully for the heroes, it wasn't the volcano. The rock on the wall rose up, and a dark path laid behind the entrance.

"Wow, you sure are handy with those power-ups," admired Cream.

"I'm more surprised it's not your burning your hand since you're not wearing gloves."

"You got a point there, Amy. But I don't really think about it that much."

"Who cares? We can finally move on. Lead the way, Mario!"

He nodded back at the Blue Blur, looking forward as he and the others plodded ahead through the next section of Mt. Yuruvius. However, none of them noticed that something materialized from behind. As soon as they were out of sight, Kamek and the Elite Trio appeared from an invisibility spell, flying on the broomstick (with the exception of Paraplonk) and below the ledge that the heroes stood on.

"Whew, th-that was close," Goomp stammered.

"I really thought they were going to catch us," Sergeant Guy put a hand on the cheek of his mask.

"We're just lucky that the invisibility spell lasted longer this time," Paraplonk sighed.

Kamek flew up to the ledge and let Goomp and Sergeant land on the ground. "Hmm... they're already one step ahead of us."

"Are we going to catch up to them?" queried Sergeant.

"We will. But how about we let them do the work this time? They'll be busy trying to find Nabbit and get the Chaos Emerald he stole from us. Well, we can steal it right back, just as long as they uncover it. Then, we seize the opportunity, grab the Emerald, and leave this volcano to blow up."

"Sounds like a plan to me!" exclaimed Paraplonk.

"At least that means less work for us," Goomp whispered to himself.

Bowser's minions took their time going through the volcanic passage. The last thing they wanted was to get caught by Mario and the others. But as they made their way, Mt. Yuruvius began to shake again. And the rumbling felt more treacherous than any of the previous tremors.

 ** _END OF CHAPTER_**

* * *

 _Mario and Sonic's part of this arc is hardly progressing because I've been kind of lazy on developing a set plotline. I apologize if this isn't intriguing any of you. As for Luigi and Tails, however, I hope this will get your hopes up to see what will happen later in the story._

 _Thanks again to everyone for being patient, taking the time to read, leaving reviews, and giving me support. I wish everyone Happy Holidays, and I hope to see you all as soon as I can in 2019. This is TGN, signing off._

* * *

 ** _Post-Chapter Notes:_**

 ** _(1):_** _I don't think I need to explain this PCN._

 ** _(2):_** _Magmaarghs first appeared in Super Mario Galaxy 2 where they typically try to bite whatever is in front of them, including people. Even though I'm certain that you wouldn't expect to find one of these in Sarasaland, I added one into this scene because they're lava creatures._


	33. Ch 32: Volcanic Meltdown

_A/N:_ _Over two years ago, this idea ran in my mind when I was busy writing my first story. I'm stunned that it's been this long, and I'm nowhere close to being done. I've seen stories that get completed in several years, and now I understand why. Regardless, I want to say thanks to everyone for sticking around since day one or whenever you first discovered New Brotherhood. Despite my inconsistencies, I appreciate the support. Let's get right back to the action!_

* * *

 _Disclaimer:_ _I only take credit for this story. Mario is owned under Nintendo's property, and Sonic the Hedgehog belongs to Sega._

* * *

 **Chapter 32:** Volcanic Meltdown

"You guys felt that shaking again, right?" Amy looked at everyone. The heroes had already passed the previous section of Mt. Yuruvius and had been walking for several minutes with no sign of Nabbit still. They were exploring the deeper depths of the volcano that the place started to feel hotter than before, despite the fact that they weren't near lava at the moment. Since then, the volcano kept trembling. It occurred more often than anyone thought that they lost count of the rumbles. Not like anyone cared though.

Peach laid her hand against the wall as she replied. "I did feel that. I almost lost my balance again."

Just then, another sound echoed in the cave. It was low and resonant that it made Cream and Cheese slightly jump from their spots. "W-What was that?"

"I'm definitely certain that it wasn't the volcano," said Daisy.

"Sorry, that was me," Mario patted his stomach. "I haven't eaten anything since breakfast." He used his free hand to dig into the pocket of his shorts. He tossed a red Mushroom into his mouth, feeling satiated. "Good thing I bought a couple of Mushrooms on the cruise before we came here."

"Not to be rude, but there's no time to start thinking about food. As much as I would like another batch of those chili dogs the cruise's chefs made, we gotta keep going!" urged Sonic.

"You're right. At least we're getting close to the end of this tunnel. Come on! Nabbit has to be nearby!"

The Blue Blur took off very quickly that he almost blew out the fireball in Mario's hand. Everyone else jogged to the other side until they caught up with Sonic. The next area wasn't filled with any lava or fire hazards. It was more of an empty stone walkway. In fact, it was _completely_ empty. Nothing stood out within the rocky walls. The place was eerily quiet that the only sounds that were heard were the heroes breathing out their noses. And that wasn't even loud in the slightest.

"Does anyone have this bad sensation that something is going to pop out of nowhere when you least expect it?" asked Amy.

"I've had those feelings before. I just try not to think about them too much," said Peach, peering all over the region. She was hoping she'd find something out of the ordinary.

"Looks clear to me!" Sonic resumed walking, turning his head back to barely see them. "I'm more than sure that nothing's gonna-"

"Mr. Sonic! Look out!" Cream shrieked.

Out of nowhere, a Piranha Plant emerged from the cobblestones and taunted with its chomping mouth in front of Sonic. He barely reacted, flinching backward while letting out a loud scream. What he didn't expect was a cloud of poison gas spewing from its mouth.

"AUGH! BLEH!" he groaned from the toxic mist. He squeezed his eyes shut despite them starting to water. Mario ran over to push him back from the plant. After it mocked with its lolling tongue, he charged his fireballs and threw them at the plant. As it suffered the burns, the Piranha Plant squealed before perishing into ash. Mario ran back to check on his friend.

"You alright, Sonic?"

"Oh, yeah! I'm feeling really good right now!" he coughed violently. Mario rolled his eyes at his 'candid' response. Sheer anger bubbled up inside the hedgehog. "What the heck was that?!"

"That was a Piranha Plant – or Pakkun Flower which is the main terminology in Sarasaland," explained Daisy.

"They're very similar to Putrid Piranhas. **_(1)_** I've faced several of them in Mt. Lavalava. They tend to blow out poisonous gas at people, and it's hard to block it from your eyes."

"Ugh! No kidding! This stuff actually stings! My eyes won't stop watering!"

"Can I do anything to help?" offered Peach.

Sonic's eyelids were still closed, but he turned to her voice. "I don't exactly know what you have in mind, Princess. It's not like you have any healing powers."

How ironic.

Peach clasped her hands in front of her chest and closed her eyes. Several seconds flew by until a beam of light glowed around Sonic's body. Cream, Cheese, and Amy were stunned, their mouths open while they stood there speechless. Sonic's eyes opened up as they no longer hurt from the poison.

"Whoa... What was that?"

"Therapy. It's one of my special powers to heal anyone who has been inflicted or needs extra health." **_(2)_**

"How did you learn this?"

"It's more of a special power I possessed ever since I was born. Toadsworth kind of explained it to me when I was old enough to understand the true potential of my abilities. I've used it to help heal Mario or his friends whenever their health was low. But I'm only limited to using it a couple times in a given period as I need to regenerate my energy."

"It's true. She's really reliable whenever someone could use a rejuvenating boost. But she can't do it infinitely or she'll tire out. Besides, her health needs to be watched after, too."

"Wow. If I had known about this, I probably wouldn't have doubted you."

"It's okay, Sonic. It's the least I can do to help one of my friends."

The hedgehog smiled and gave her a thumbs-up as his appreciation. Afterward, Mario took charge and noticed more Putrid Piranhas spawning from the ground. And from the cavern ahead, several Spinies, Goombos, and Bombshell Koopas emerged into the room. While he still possessed the powers of the Fire Flower, he aimed the flames at a couple of the poisonous plants.

When asked for help from the others, Mario accepted but warned them to watch out. Amy jumped forward and landed a hard smash into the mouth of another plant. She and Mario took control over these enemies with the latter more focused on fire instead of his own mallet.

Peach took out her frying pan, and Daisy had her umbrella, using their respective weapons for the first time since their fight with Bowser before Sonic suddenly warped here. The princesses decided to take down the Spinies, piercing their shells' defenses.

Cream wasn't one who condoned violence, but she and Cheese didn't want to be left out. Mario suggested focusing on the Goombos alone. The bunny tossed the Chao onto the heads of the Goomba-like foes and mindfully stomped the others with her feet. She felt somewhat sorry for taking them down.

Sonic, who was thankful that Cream didn't accidentally injure herself, sprinted past everyone and jumped into the air in ball form. He aimed a homing attack on the Koopas, causing the turtles to hide in their shells. Smirking a wide grin, he carried one of them and tossed the shell into the others, knocking them out of the cavern like a set of curling stones.

With all the enemies gone, Mario led everyone further down the path. Again, on frequent occasions, he took off his sunhat and waved it in front of his face to cool down. He had endured plenty of instances in hot regions, but the intense heat eventually gave him a headache. And having to wipe the sweat off his face was bothersome to him. He felt like he needed a third shower for the day.

After eating a Mushroom to replenish his health, Mario looked back at Cream and Cheese, who were also exhausted from the torrid atmosphere. He frowned. He also glanced at Amy who wasn't as tired, but her mouth was begging for a drink of water or anything to quench herself. Lastly, he shot a peek out of the corner of his eyes at Sonic, maintaining a neutral face as he strolled beside him.

The plumber never took a second to complain about his condition. That's because his mind was set on something he remembered before they came here. He wasn't risking his life for himself. He wasn't doing this to save the princesses. He wasn't doing it for the thrill of adventure.

He was doing it for _them_.

Letting his friends down was the only option he had – if he considered himself a failure. But because he had pride in himself, Mario kept his head up high, putting the hat back on as he trudged ahead.

* * *

A half-hour elapsed as the sun was no longer above the skies of Muda. Nonetheless, it felt like the heroes spent days inside Mt. Yuruvius. They continued to descend into the lower depths of the volcano. If it gave Mario any sort of sign, this had to be where Nabbit was located. He just hoped there wasn't a fire-breathing Piranha Plant monster nearby. Taking out the Emerald Detector, the signal surprised him and the others. It was flashing yellow, but it seemed like it _wanted_ to show red.

Then, Cream's ears wiggled, perceiving a high-pitched sound. "Did you hear that?"

"Chao!" Cheese picked up on her question.

Peach put a hand near her ear, trying to listen carefully. "I think I hear it as well. But it sounds faint to me."

The squeaking happened again, only it was louder.

"It's coming from that cave!" Daisy pointed.

"Let's-a-go!" Mario ran forward. In just a few seconds, the detector showed a red signal. The heroes made their way to a circular chamber with another cave up ahead. Near the edge of that entrance, they found what, or rather _who_ , they were looking for. With a pickaxe (that he stole from someone), Nabbit was digging up minerals in the volcanic rock. He failed to notice the people behind him.

"Ah-ha!" yelled Sonic.

Nabbit jumped and turned around. His face had always been the same, but his response provoked shock.

"We finally caught up to you, buddy!" he said with a pinch of sarcasm on the last word. "Now if it's not any trouble, we would like to take something important from you."

Before Nabbit could react, the Blue Blur outmatched his speed and stole Nabbit's sack and ran back to his friends. Freaking out over the fact that his bag got stolen, he tried to recover it from Sonic. However, Mario ran over, catching the rabbit off guard and carried him over his head. As he stalled for time, Sonic searched the sack and pulled out the important piece that they needed.

"Alright!" he held it in the air. "We finally got the Chaos Emerald!"

"It's about time, too!" Amy grinned.

"We can also return the others' stuff. All we have to do is get out this volcano and-"

Mt. Yuruvius started shaking in the middle of Peach's statement. Cream nearly fell on her feet, but Amy held onto her tightly to remain standing. Part of the wall started to crumble, and small rocks fell to the ground. Some hit Mario and Sonic on their heads, but luckily it didn't hurt them that much.

Daisy brushed her dress off, coughing from the dust around her and the others. "Okay, we _really_ need to get out of this place."

"Just as long as we make a run for it, we can-"

"Nyeh heh heh!"

Mario was intervened by a loud-pitch cackle. The sound was familiar to him, and he lowered his eyebrows when he instantly knew who it was. That was when Mario saw the blue mage and the Elite Trio swoop in.

"What impeccable timing! Thank you so much for recovering our Chaos Emerald!"

"I don't know what you're talking about, Conehead Larry," Sonic quipped at Kamek. "The Emerald was never yours in the first place!"

"Hmph! Who are you calling 'Conehead'? Ah, I don't have time to play the Name Game. We're just here to reclaim our prize, and we'll leave you alone in this volcano to blow you all up."

"Yeah! What he said!"

"Private, be quiet!"

"S-Sorry!" Goomp felt embarrassed.

"I guess you're not going to leave without a fight, huh?" Daisy challenged.

"I never said that. But since you brought it up..." Kamek waved his wand to shoot a spell at them.

"Guys! Run!" yelled Mario.

Everyone went in different directions to evade the magical blast. Sonic was quick enough to run away with Nabbit's bag and the Emerald – to which he stuffed it in his quills – but Kamek focused on him as his primary target. Despite this, all the spells missed the hedgehog, and in turn, he waved a finger to taunt at the Magikoopa. Mario threw Nabbit away from the mayhem and jumped at the wizard, dealing a major stomp on his head. Nabbit, on the other hand, was so spooked that he decided to abandon the situation. He dashed into the following cave, leaving his bag behind.

While Mario and Sonic focused on Kamek, the girls took on Goomp, Paraplonk, and Sergeant. The Private ran up to deliver a Headbonk, but Daisy blocked it with her umbrella. As Private got sent back, Cream and Cheese both stomped on his head. Paraplonk nosedived at Peach, but she swayed from him and managed to whack his shell. The corporal had his body ducked inside after the impact, and he fell to the ground. Peach jumped on his shell and sent him straight at Goomp was still stunned from Cream and Cheese. The Goomba couldn't react in time to avoid Paraplonk's shell. Both got knocked down into the wall.

Amy was facing against Sergeant as the latter pulled out his wand from behind and fired a green blast at her. She reflected the attack with her Piko Piko Hammer and sent it straight back. He managed to duck down and instigated a fiery explosion near the girls' feet. The pink hedgehog leaped over the flame, charging at the Shy Guy as she slammed the metal weapon into his mask. He fell into a dazed state along with the other members.

Kamek made three clones of himself, a strategy he occasionally performed to confuse Mario. The plumber explained to Sonic that even though they were duplicates, their magic worked the same as the real one. He took a mental note and attempted a homing attack on the Kamek to his far left. It turned out to be a fake, so Sonic rebounded by jumping off the wall and aiming at the second Kamek. That one disappeared like the first. The remaining Kameks raised their magic wands and shot out an array of fire bursts.

Sonic easily dodged them while Mario felt a flame barely run by his right arm. Hissing from the heat, he retaliated with a fireball of his own. He was able to get rid of the final clone while dealing a few fireballs at the real Magikoopa. Kamek shrieked, but he used a spell to soothe the burns.

"You think you're very capable with your fire powers, but get a load of this!"

The assorted, colorful shapes from Kamek's wand went straight towards Mario's face. His eyes bulged as it nearly hit him. However, when he dodged to the side, the blast hit the volcanic wall. A loud rumble shook the volcano after the immediate impact. Sonic had a strange feeling that Kamek's magic may have caused that tremor, but he set the thought aside when he noticed Kamek veer right at his friend.

"Mario! Look out!"

All Mario could do was feel the end of his broomstick jab him in the cheek. And during that action, Kamek reached his claw out, plucking out a black hair from his mustache. Mario was unaware of this since the broomstick was more agonizing. It was almost as bad as running into a brick wall. Except, he didn't run into it; the wall ran into him.

Peach called out his name when she noticed him falling. The back of his head landed harshly against the rugged surface. Mario's head began to ache while his body failed to get up. As much as his arms tried to push up, the pain pinned him down. Kamek took advantage and prepared to send another blast at him.

"You're mine now, plumber!"

"Oh no, you don't!" Sonic growled. He sprinted to carry Mario away from Kamek's magic. The blast that shot out hit the floor. Once again, the volcano trembled violently. Sonic laid Mario down against the wall. The pink princess ran over to them while the others diverted their attention to the Koopa wizard. "Mario? You alright, buddy?" Sonic gently shook his shoulders, hoping that he would open his eyes.

Thankfully, his wish came true. "Ow... That really hurt." Stretching his jaw out didn't help at all as he cringed from the movement.

"Hold still," Peach told him with concern. She concentrated deeply before her powers restored him. "Does that feel better?"

"Much," he tipped his hat before they pulled him up.

"NYAH!" The three turned over to Kamek. To their surprise, Kamek and their friends were at a deadlock. Daisy's flower powers were unsuccessful as the magician wiped away the daisies from his vision. Cheese tried to attack, but he got thrown back at Cream, causing both to plummet. While Amy hit his magical blasts with her hammer, some hit the volcano while Kamek reflected the rest. "Why don't you just surrender, hand me the Chaos Emerald, and I'll leave you be?"

"Not gonna happen, loser!" Amy scowled.

"You dare to defy me?"

"Anything is better than giving Bowser and Eggman what they want!" Daisy returned.

 _"Dr. Eggman already has one piece for now,"_ he slyly thought. _"I just need the other to make things simpler."_

Suddenly, Mt. Yuruvius shook for the umpteenth time. Only this tremor felt more intense than the previous ones. While it caused the heroes and even Kamek to worry, the Elite Trio woke up from insensibility.

"H-Huh? W-What's going on?" asked Paraplonk.

"Um... I think the volcano's getting angrier. And by that, I mean it _really_ feels like it's gonna blow," Sergeant replied.

"Yeah, I think we better start running." Goomp left the room rather quickly, only for him to return in a couple of seconds. "M-Make that a no go! The floor started falling apart!"

"What?!" Paraplonk and Sergeant yelled. That also caught the attention of Kamek and the others.

"I'm not joking! The floor started crumbling, and all that's left is a sea of lava! There's no way we can go back!"

"That's what you think!" Kamek flew over to them and waved his wand. A translucent bubble formed around them.

"Hey! What do you think you're doing?!" Mario clenched a fist.

"Due to current circumstances, I'll let you off easily with this battle. But this will probably be your last as the volcano will send you to your doom! Have the Chaos Emerald for all you like, but hopefully it'll still be out of your possession! Have fun seeing your brothers again!"

The Elite Trio was a bit surprised to hear that Kamek had changed plans. Whereas Mario was slightly irate at his comment, and Sonic felt the same way as well. They all watched Bowser's minions disappear. As soon as they did, the bubbling lava began to seep into the room.

"AAH! We have to get out of here!" cried Cream.

"But how?!" Peach feared. "You heard what he said. We can't go back if the floor is gone!"

"I saw Nabbit run into the cave ahead. If he managed to escape, we can go the same route!" Mario told them.

"Since we have no other choice, make way!" Sonic left with a trail of blue behind. Everyone ran after him into the next area. They climbed a rocky stair formation and reached the top. However, they found themselves at a dead end. Sonic didn't want to lose hope in spite of the danger. "We can't be stuck here! How did Nabbit get out anyway?!"

"Look!" Amy pointed up. An opening was seen from below. "That must be the crater of the volcano! Nabbit must've gone up that way!"

"How so?"

"I see!" Daisy realized. "There are ledges on the walls! He probably jumped from one to the other before getting to the top!"

"Can we even make it up there?" Cream questioned with doubt.

"Chao?" Cheese was on the same page.

"Only if we're fast enough!"

"But we're not as fast as you, Sonic," remarked Peach. "And if one of us accidentally falls down, it could be over."

"Then what are we supposed to do?!" he vented.

Mario, who stayed quiet, found this oddly similar to his perilous journey in Mt. Lavalava. However, there didn't seem to be any rocks or walls to blow up to find a secret passage that could potentially lead them out of the volcano. And even if there was one, he didn't have a Bob-omb to destroy it. Not only that, but how exactly could they escape up to the crater? Misstar wasn't there to carry everyone, and they'd be too slow to climb the ledges before the lava rises. **_(3)_**

As much as he loathed it, he had come to a horrible realization. They were doomed to the eruption. There was no way out of this place. He failed his Mobian friends, he failed the princesses, he failed Luigi and Tails, and he failed himself. The hope he had in his heart withered into dust.

Only two words came to mind from all this.

Game over.

Mario was on the verge of accepting his fate. But unexpectedly, he felt his legs lift up in the air as he had no control over them. Then, he looked at Sonic. He looked at Peach, Daisy, Amy, and Cream. (Cheese was an exception.) Everyone was floating in a large bubble like Kamek's.

The heroes rose up to the top at lightning speed like they were on an amusement park drop tower that shot them hundreds of feet into the sky. The only difference was that there was no way they were going back down. As the lava chased them, the bubble flew out of the caldera and far from the eruption. Hearts were racing, beating so fast and hard against their sternums as if they wanted to explode out of their bodies like Mt. Yuruvius. All they could do was watch the scenery as they waited to land on the island below.

A question roamed in Mario's head, and the same thought struck the rest.

What just happened?

 ** _END OF CHAPTER_**

* * *

 _This is kind of an awkward place to stop. Hopefully, the fighting scene made up for it._

 _No? It didn't? Alright, I'm retiring from Fanfiction._

 _In all seriousness though, I appreciate any feedback on what you think of this chapter. Again, I had some trouble writing this out. If you do like it, leave a review down below and follow/favorite for more chapters. With college in the way, I'll have to see when I'll have time to return. I hope to see you all soon for Ch. 33 of New Brotherhood! Here's to two years and counting! This is TGN, signing off._

* * *

 ** _Post-Chapter Notes:_**

 ** _(1):_** _Initially, I was going to throw Putrid Piranhas from Paper Mario in there, but I decided to use the appropriate enemies with their respective names found in Super Mario Land. Regardless, I made the Pakkun Flowers act like those poisonous plants._

 ** _(2):_** _Peach has been known to have special healing powers in a few Mario games. Therapy refers to one of her unique abilities in Super Mario RPG._

 ** _(3):_** _Misstar was the fifth Star Spirit rescued in Paper Mario, and she helped Mario barely flee out of Mt. Lavalava before it erupted._


	34. Ch 33: The Saviors

_A/N:_ _I want to express my gratitude to The Sensational SpiderDom321, Infinite's Ruby, ViolaHarmony, Q, Oderus, Guest, and most of all, Azurixx for their reviews._

 _In regard to the last user, I also thank you for the follow and favorite. Not only that, but I want to say that I found your Mario and Sonic story on this website back in late 2016, a couple of months before I made an account. After reading it, I thought it was a masterpiece – one of the best Mario & Sonic crossovers and one of the best stories I've ever read overall. It was one of the reasons why I wanted to try out writing fanfiction on my own. And every once in a while, I like to go back and read it to help me draw out plot points and fighting scenes. Thus, I appreciate you for inspiring me and taking the time to read and review!_

 _And thanks to everyone else for making it this far into New Brotherhood! Let's get back to the adventure!_

* * *

 _Disclaimer:_ _Neither Sonic nor Mario belongs to me. I only take credit for this crossover._

* * *

 **Chapter 33:** The Saviors

Kamek had whisked the Elite Trio and himself out of Mt. Yuruvius. As they boarded the airship, the volcano had erupted. They saw the lava spew out of the crater and stream down the steep slopes. Several lava rocks soared in the air and landed all around the island. A few fell into the ocean while others landed in the jungle.

"Meh," the Magikoopa muttered.

"Um, Kamek?" Corporal Paraplonk flew to the side of him. "Is everything alright?"

"Those animals are more formidable than I initially thought, especially the blue hedgehog. His speed is remarkable, I must say. I can see why Eggman loathes him."

"It's unfortunate that we couldn't get the Chaos Emerald," Sergeant Guy looked down.

"Yeah. I'm confused why you didn't try to take it back before we escaped," Private Goomp added.

"Those pests managed to vanquish us, but they won't have the last laugh. We may have not recovered the Chaos Emerald, and it won't be a surprise that Lord Bowser will be extremely disappointed, but we didn't leave empty-handed." He waved his wand in the air and made something appear in his other claw.

"A hair?" Paraplonk tilted his head.

" _Mario's_ mustache hair, to be precise. This should help Dr. Eggman create his Metal Mario robot."

"Okay. But are we not going to get the Emerald back?" asked Goomp.

"Leave them be. After all, they were stuck inside the volcano. It's more than likely that they were caught in the eruption. There's hardly a chance that they all survived."

"But what if they did, especially Mario and the blue hedgehog?" questioned Sergeant.

"I'm sure they will think of something. For now, let's retreat to the castle."

No one from the Elite Trio wanted to interject Kamek, so Paraplonk went to the steering wheel while Sergeant and Goomp took over cleaning duty. Kamek placed the hair in a small vial for safekeeping. He knew that neither Bowser nor Eggman will like the fact that they didn't get the Emerald. But if it meant that Mario and Sonic were dead, Kamek was willing to take that risk. Unbeknownst to him or the others, the heroes made it out alive, only with a little help.

* * *

The bubble carried the heroes to the small village where Dragonzamasu was resting. He was gazing at the lava pouring down the volcano. Thankfully, the lava never reached the village as it only fell into the moat. The Muda leader waved his fin when they landed safely in front of him as the bubble disappeared.

"Well then! You sure made quite a return from your volcano trip! Glad to see that none of you got hurt from the lava!"

"No, but I did get a face full of poison gas," complained Sonic.

"Oh yeah, those Pakkun Flowers are some annoyances, aren't they? But anyway, did you manage to find what you're looking for?"

"We sure did!" Amy replied happily. "We got the Chaos Emerald!"

"Did you now? Do you mind if I see what it looks like?"

Sonic pulled the gem out of his quills. The yellow light gleamed in front of the heroes while Dragon was in awe.

"Oh my, what a beautiful jewel! Its radiance is magnificent to admire!"

"As much as we all think it's quite nice, we can't stand here forever. We have to take this back to Professor E. Gadd so he can secure it," explained Mario.

"And we got to return the other stuff to the people in Muda, too," said Cream.

"I see. In that case, would you like to spend the night here in our little village?"

"Thanks for the offer, Dragon. But we're going to head back to my cruiser and rest there," Daisy politely declined.

"Yeah. Sorry we can't stay here for much longer," Peach apologized.

"Oh, no need to say sorry! As long as you have everything, that's what matters! And besides, you can you were not in any trouble at all!"

"Actually-" Sonic was about to say something before Mario nudged him. He didn't want Dragon to start another boring conversation.

"It was nice to meet you, Your Highness," Cream curtsied.

"Thanks! The same goes for you, too, especially the hedgehogs! Besides the eruption, it's a beautiful night outside! Maybe you can-"

"WE'RE NOT DATING!" Sonic shouted irately.

Mario sighed, but he waved at the Yurarin Boo before he and the others left the village. It was a long walk to the docks, but they managed to get there in less than ten minutes. As he boarded the cruise ship, his mind defaulted back to when he and his friends were mysteriously rescued. He still had no idea what happened.

Not wanting to think about it any longer, he retired to his cabin where he found his normal set of clothes laid out on his bed. As much as he enjoyed the tropical attire, he decided to change back into his plumber's outfit. Once he was finished, he went out onto the deck. He wasn't ready to go to sleep just yet.

* * *

It had been over a half-hour since the cruiser had set sail to Muda Beach so that the heroes could return the valuables that Nabbit stole. The girls decided to get some beauty rest. Like Mario, the blue hedgehog was outside on the deck. A cool breeze flew by, brushing against his arms and fur. He shivered, but he didn't mind the cold too much.

He stopped for a minute as he gazed back at Yurarin Isle. Sniffing, he got another scent of that salty sea air. It wasn't a smell he generally liked (for obvious reasons), yet this moment felt... different, to say the least.

Ever since Mario taught him how to swim, he didn't feel that nervous around water compared to other times in the past. It may have been in shallow water, and it wasn't the same as the deep, but Mario was there by his side all the time. And the more he pondered about it, he realized how much he had done for him ever since he crashed into his home world. Just the thought of it made him wish that he could return the favor.

Then, as he wandered near the bow, Sonic saw Mario leaning against the railing and staring at the moon. The breeze made his hat and hairs slightly dance. Sonic chuckled a little, but he soon noticed the frown on his face. He silently joined his friend, taking in the view.

"It sure is nice out, huh?" Sonic saw him nod his head. "I gotta say, it's not just the Mushroom Kingdom, but Sarasaland is pretty as well. Whoa, I actually pronounced the name right this time. I think I deserve a small pat on the back for that."

Mario didn't laugh at his joke, which made Sonic upset.

"Hey, is something wrong?"

The man moved his eyes to the sea for a few seconds before turning to him with a serious face. "Did you forget about the fact that we somehow escaped Mt. Yuruvius by doing nothing?"

"That? Well, no. I'm just as confused as you are right now. I don't understand why we survived."

"What's weird is that we ended up in a bubble like Kamek's."

"Do you think he might have saved us just so we can keep the Chaos Emerald? Because sometimes Eggman would make me do most of the work finding the Emeralds before he devises a plan to take them all from me."

"It's a theory, but it doesn't make sense to me. Kamek really seemed determined to get the Emerald from us before he fled away."

"Yeah. And he kept aiming at you during most of the fight. Which reminds me, if Eggman wanted a piece of hair from you, there's no doubt that he would attack you as his primary target."

"That's why I'm baffled. Who or what exactly saved us from Mt. Yuruvius?"

"I think we have an answer to that."

Mario and Sonic barely jumped when they heard a new voice. However, they couldn't find where the voice was coming from.

"You heard that, right?"

"I did."

"Psst! Over here!"

Sonic patted Mario's shoulder and pointed over to something odd behind one of the walls. A hand was waving at them, prompting the two to come over. Although it seemed really strange (and creepy), they sluggishly strolled over to the voice. They entered inside a dark hallway where they could barely see the figure walking ahead of them.

"This way..." it whispered.

"Should we even trust this guy?"

Sonic shrugged, even though Mario couldn't see. "I don't know. But I can't say that this is normal."

"Hey," Mario called. "Who are you, and where are you taking us?"

"Just follow me."

Both heroes were a little frustrated at the vague response, but they kept on going. Soon after, they saw the person stop walking. He stood at the end of the hall. A dim lamp shined below where only his feet were visible. To Mario's eyes, the shape of the shoes and the round body shape made him believe that a Toad was guiding him. The only thing was that he couldn't perceive his face. The figure opened a door to his right and urged them to head inside. With the light barely going into the room, the plumber saw a couple of mops, buckets, and a shelf of cleaning supplies. Sonic was about to enter until Mario stopped him.

"Hold on a second. Why have you brought us to a janitor's closet?"

"We need to talk to you in private where no one else can find us."

"We? Who's 'we'? There's only one of you," Sonic pointed.

"Please, just go inside. I promise I'm not pulling any pranks."

The hedgehog glanced at the mustached man who mirrored his reluctance. Regardless, he decided to go into the room. Mario sighed before he followed. The figure went after him as he shut the door.

"Ow! Who was that?"

"Sorry, that's me," a new voice spoke.

"Is there any light in here?"

"Yeah, one second," said the first mystery person. He pulled down a metal cord in front of him as the ceiling light turned on.

Sonic and Mario were relieved now that they can see clearly. But once they did, they saw two Toads standing in front of them. One had green dots and a mustache. The other had yellow spots and hair. And both wore green and yellow bracelets, respectively.

Those physical traits slowly registered in their heads as they realized the truth.

"Luigi?!"

"Tails?!"

The Toads looked at each other before pressing the buttons. And there they were again: the angelic spirits of their younger siblings. Although it was nice to see them again, their faces were neutral.

Mario blinked before rubbing his eyes. "But... I thought you were only allowed to be here once!"

"Shh..." Luigi put a finger over his mouth. "Not so loud. We have something else to explain, but no one else can know."

"Yeah. We had to wait for the right opportunity to see you guys," articulated Tails.

"Right opportunity?" Sonic narrowed his eyes.

"Trust us. It's a long story... again."

Sonic saw the guilty look in the fox's eyes, so his expression softened as he waited for him and Luigi to explain. Mario remained baffled, but he stayed silent.

"So, here's what happened after we met in Boo Woods," Luigi started. "Tails and I were happy and grateful that Grambi allowed us access to the real world with our Brotherhood Bracelets. But after we returned to the Overthere, something went wrong with mine. It was emitting a strange signal. I tried turning it off, but instead, it showed me a visual of you getting hit by a Bullet Bill."

Mario's eyes widened at that. Sonic was also shocked.

"I didn't understand how or why it would even do this in the first place, but we figured that something bad happened to you down here when you were trying to find Sonic's friends. Are you alright, Mario?"

The red man shook his head when his name was mentioned. He was trying to take this all in, yet the thought overwhelmed him. "I'm okay, Weege. It took me weeks to recover, but I'm at full health again."

Luigi sighed of relief, placing a hand over his heart. " _Grazie a Dio._ " **_(1)_**

"What happened after that?" queried Sonic.

"You see," Tails spoke up, "Luigi and I went to see Grambi to explain this situation. The most he said was that Luigi's bracelet had a Sibling Signal. He said that it only triggers when something dangerous happens to either one of you. It happened to me as well when you fell into a desert oasis, Sonic."

"You saw that?"

Tails nodded. "And Luigi had another signal when Mario landed in the ocean."

Luigi confirmed this. "I was so scared for you, Big Bro."

"Why did it take this long for you to come here and talk to us? Couldn't you have done it earlier?" Mario didn't comprehend.

"The thing is, he didn't tell us everything the first time around," Tails scratched the back of his head.

"Why not?" Sonic wondered.

"Because it was supposed to be a secret to himself."

"Why would Grambi do that?" Mario raised an eyebrow.

"To keep us safe."

"Safe?" Mario and Sonic repeated.

"When he first developed these bracelets, he was considering allow us a chance to be revived." Again, they were surprised. "However, Grambi said that if he were to let us stay in the real world after we perished, there was a possibility where we could get caught and cause confusion. And if something disastrous occurs that could affect the present or the future timeline, we could be punished for it."

"Punished?"

"As in we could live in the Underwhere with Queen Jaydes for all eternity," Luigi mumbled.

Mario's face fell. He vaguely remembered the boundaries of the afterlife, and he finally understood their point.

"So, Grambi said that he wanted you to be revived?"

"Yeah. But it's not like we were given a 1-Up or anything like that."

"Right. Still, he didn't want you to suffer in the dark realm, right?"

Luigi nodded. "Before we were about to go to sleep, we heard him talking to Queen Jaydes about everything. And soon, he told us. That was when he made a compromise to us."

"Compromise?" the hedgehog reiterated.

"He granted us the title of Guardian Angels," clarified Tails. "Consequently, he will let us go to the real world to help you guys if you're in danger. Of course, we aren't given a second life, but we promised to be there if you need assistance."

"When we found out that you were trapped inside the volcano, we had to hurry to find you guys. That's when we tried using our new powers. So far, we can create an invincibility shield and help you fly in the air. We had to stay invisible to remain undetected."

"Wait," Mario breathed. "Did that mean that _you_ saved us from the eruption?"

"Y-Yeah, we did," his brother faltered.

"I don't believe it," Sonic gasped. "I mean, it's amazing you're back here and all. You rescued us from trouble, something that we usually do to you guys."

Tails chuckled lightly, which made his adoptive sibling grin a little. "You've scratched our backs so many times that we probably couldn't count them all. We had to do something for you and the others to survive."

"Wow. If you haven't come to us in time, we would've been all roasted and even worse!"

"I... I really don't know what to say besides... thanks. Thanks for helping us escape."

"You're welcome," the angels responded.

"I have another question. Luigi, when you said you had to stay invisible, what do you mean by that?"

"Oh, yeah. About that..." his face turned glum. "Grambi had some more guidelines to explain. It's obvious that people in the afterlife are not allowed to interact with the living world. Our first reunion was just an exception. Even though we're now Guardian Angels to aid you, we're only limited to see you two only, considering you're the only ones who know about us at this point."

"That makes sense."

"As much as I would like to see Daisy, Peach, and everyone back home-"

"And as much as I would want to meet with Amy, Cream, and our friends..." Tails faintly added.

"-we can't do anything about it. No one can know of our existence. If so, there could be consequences."

"Meaning Queen Jaydes would make you live in the Underwhere," Mario fathomed.

Tails bobbed his head. "And the other rules still apply to us. Just because we've been given this title doesn't mean we're exempt from any ramifications. We'll be here sporadically whenever the time or situation is vital. We can't stay here forever as angels."

"I guess that sounds fair," said Sonic.

"Are you on another time limit?"

"Sadly, yes. Like the reunion, we can only stay for up to one hour per visit, and we're only allowed one visit per day," Luigi frowned when he heard the five-minute warning on his bracelet.

"There is one catch though," Tails raised his index finger. "Rather than have a visual pop up on our bracelets, if you press the button on yours, that should trigger a direct signal to us so that we can react and teleport to your location. If we're lucky, we can act fast." **_(2)_**

"Well, I do like fast," Sonic smirked.

"If you get into a fight or any dangerous scenario, you just have to decide wisely and strategically when to contact us."

"For today, we traveled to explain everything. But we had to wait until we could have a private discussion. That's why I led you both in here," Luigi elucidated.

"I'm glad we're all caught up with this now, because I really missed you, Weege."

"And I missed you, Tails. Again, it doesn't seem real, but it's just so cool to see you again."

The vulpine grinned shyly. "We both missed you deeply. You have to give credit to Grambi though. He was the one who built us the bracelets and allowed us to return to the real world."

"Because of that, I'll make sure to thank him every night before I go to sleep." Mario paused to stretch his arms while yawning. "And after another long day, I really want to get some rest. But we have to return some items to the people in Muda. Then we have to head back to the Mushroom Kingdom so we could give E. Gadd the third Chaos Emerald."

"Hey. Since I don't know what a Chaos Emerald looks like, do you mind if I see it?"

"Not at all," Sonic pulled out the yellow gem from his quills. It shined brightly in front of everyone.

Luigi was amazed. "Golly. That looks really cool."

"Yeah. But it's not cool when it's in the wrong hands. That annoying conehead nearly took it from us."

"Do you mean Kamek?"

"Yeah, him. I like to make fun of bad guys with silly nicknames. For example, whenever I see Eggman, I call him 'Baldy McNosehair'. Heh, that name never gets old!"

"I sure remember those days," Tails reminisced. Then, the bracelets beeped once again. "Ah, shoot. This is our last minute for the night."

"Yeah. We need to return to the Overthere soon."

"Okay, guys. Take care up there. And thanks again for rescuing all of us."

"You're welcome, Mario," Luigi opened his arms, enticing his older bro to come forward. Mario gladly accepted as he felt his angelic body embraced him.

"Take care, little buddy. I'll always love you, bro."

"You too, Sonic. I love you so much," the twin-tailed kitsune wrapped his arms around the hedgehog.

Both pairs of brothers let each other go before Luigi and Tails gave one last wave at them. As a light shined over them, Mario and Sonic blocked their eyes until they were gone. They glanced at each other. Blue eyes stared at green, and vice versa. After being idle for another minute, they decided to get some well-deserved rest. Mario opened the closet door, and Sonic turned off the lonely light before they exited. The heroes departed to their cabins, but not before they looked up at the moon, taking solace that their saviors were going to be there for them.

 ** _END OF CHAPTER_**

* * *

 _This is another one of those chapters where there's not a lot of action, but we have some sort of calming moment as the Mario Bros. and the Inseparable Duo reunited for the second time. With the discussion out of the way, how will the Guardian Angels help out our red and blue heroes? Where will their journey lead to next? And how is everyone doing at Bowser's Castle, especially Sonic's captive friends?_

 _As always, thanks for taking the time to read. Leave a favorite and/or follow to catch up on more and write a review to let me know how this chapter went or if I need to edit any mistakes. Until then, I'll see you next time on New Brotherhood! This is TGN, signing off._

* * *

 ** _Post-Chapter Notes:_**

 ** _(1):_** _'Grazie a Dio' translates to 'Thank goodness.'_

 ** _(2):_** _I did not quite explain the extra limitations for Luigi and Tails' roles as Guardian Angels as well as the importance of the Brotherhood Bracelets. (I forgot to include this in Ch. 31.) For future reference, Luigi and Tails will teleport to Mario's world from the Overthere rather than staying incognito forever. And as for the bracelets, whenever Mario and Sonic are in peril, they can press the button on their devices to signal their brothers._


	35. Ch 34: A Chance to Escape

_A/N:_ _I want to thank Oderus, Q, FairyTalePrincess16, SpiderDom321, and Infinite's Ruby for their reviews in the last chapter. I do have an important note at the bottom. But to keep this intro short, let's move on to the next chapter!_

* * *

 _Disclaimer:_ _Nintendo and Sega own the rights to Mario and Sonic. I only take credit for this story._

* * *

 **Chapter 34:** A Chance to Escape

 _Location: Bowser's Castle_

Another night had fallen in Dark Land as thunder boomed outside the large fortress. To this day, Knuckles, Shadow, Silver, Rouge, Blaze, Vector, Espio, and Charmy remained locked in the underground dungeon since they teleported here. Over two weeks had gone by, and all they had to survive were a bunch of crummy meals, consisting of dry bread, day-old meat, and water – the same things served to Amy, Cream, and Cheese when they were confined. Being stuck in what's basically prison was never a fun time. It started to get on some of their nerves, specifically Shadow and Knuckles.

"If only these bars were malleable, I would've bent these out of shape and get us out of here," Knuckles muttered.

"But since you tried that on the first day we were here, all you had were bruised hands," said Shadow.

"You're not helping me or anyone in this situation."

"Knuckles, Shadow, calm down, will ya?" Vector stepped in between them. "We already had enough of you two fighting with each other."

"There's a reason why they keep giving us less food every day. You're always bothering the guards outside or those turtles upstairs," Espio crossed his arms.

"Maybe if we warped to the _right_ location-"

"How many times do you have to bring that up? I said I was sorry!" Silver shouted angrily at Shadow.

"It doesn't help much."

"What am I supposed to do?!"

"Rot back to your future timeline."

"Shadow, stop it," Blaze stood up from the ground. "Listen, we all understand that being locked up isn't fun for anyone. But sometimes, you need to ease up on the attitude. It's literally irritating everyone."

"Who thinks that?"

That's when everyone else, including Rouge, raised their hands.

The ebony hedgehog rolled his eyes, huffing. "Fuck you."

Speaking of the white bat, she was concentrated on the lock. She was trying to pick it with one of her bobby pins. She stuck her tongue, trying to fit the metal utensil in the right spot.

"Um, Rouge," Charmy flew up to her.

"What's up?" she asked without turning her head.

"No offense, but don't you think that you might not get us out of here by picking the lock? I mean, it's not like I doubt your skills, but after trying for the last two weeks with no success-"

"You can stop right there. Yes, it's frustrating not to get this thing unlocked, but I'm not giving up. I feel like I'm getting closer each day."

"Just consider yourself lucky that none of the guards have caught you trying to escape," Knuckles told her.

"Please. Those Koopas don't know a thing about me, and they don't know how sly I am. If I wasn't picking the lock, I can probably manipulate them to let us out without even trying."

"By playing the victim card?"

"Victim card?"

"Oh, don't pretend like you don't know what I'm talking about. You have to make others look like the fool so you can get what you want. It happens all the time whenever you try to take the Chaos Emeralds or the Master Emerald for yourself."

"Let's get one thing straight here," she said, turning her head to him. "I don't try to pin scorn on anyone unless it's Eggman or you."

"Why am I included?" Knuckles clenched his teeth.

"Because it's fun whenever I poke fun at you. Seeing you hotheaded never fails to amuse me."

"Hotheaded?!"

"See, you're showing it off right now. Don't work up a huge sweat though, or your head might explode like your temper," she stared at him with half-lidded eyes and a grin. To Knuckles, the idea that was she was flirting infuriated him, like every other time the two engaged in conversation.

"Grr! You're batty!" the echidna flailed his fist. **_(1)_** He was about to charge at her, but Vector and Espio reacted immediately, holding him by the underarms. Rouge shrugged to herself before shifting her attention to the lock.

Silver laid his head back on the brick wall. "We're never going to get out of here."

"I thought you were more optimistic than that," Blaze skeptically looked at him.

"I would be if that guy didn't take the Chaos Emerald. That was probably our only chance to get out of here."

"I'm sure we'll figure something out. If not, we'll have to rely on Rouge to get break us free."

"And if that doesn't work?"

Blaze wished she had a legitimate answer. "I honestly don't know."

* * *

By the time the airship returned to the hangar, Kamek immediately delegated cleaning roles for Paraplonk, Goomp, and Sergeant. Their first order of business: cleaning the bathrooms, their least favorite chore. Once the Elite Trio grabbed their cleaning supplies, Kamek reached the outside of Eggman's room. His door was open, but he tapped it with his wand.

"Ahem, Dr. Eggman?"

Eggman raised his head and turned around to see the Magikoopa. "Oh, it's you. You're back."

"I figured I would stop by here first."

"And you retrieved the Chaos Emerald, I presume?"

"Well, I have some good news and bad news."

"Of course," he grumbled. "Every time something like this happens, there always has to be some. Give me the bad first."

"The Elite Trio and I have failed our mission. After a long day of searching in Sarasaland, we came up short to those mischievous heroes. We had to retreat back to the castle without it. I take full responsibility for the loss."

Eggman grunted, pounding his fist on the table as his pens flew up a couple of inches. "Gah! Blast that hedgehog and his stupid, red companion! Why didn't you and those muppets beat them and steal the Emerald?!"

"It's a long story, Doctor. We had to chase a particularly fast creature who took the Emerald to another province of the continent."

"Particularly fast? Don't you mean-"

"It wasn't the blue hedgehog," Kamek quickly clarified. "It was a purple bandit named Nabbit. We ended up following him and the heroes into a volcano. And since it was about to burst, we had no choice but to flee."

"Hmph. Then what about Sonic and the rest of those chumps?"

"Needless to say, I don't have any doubts that they survived. If in the case they did, which is highly unlikely, that could make the competition for finding the Chaos Emeralds less heated than before. We should have the upper hand if no one else will search for them. But I should say that I'm not certain if they escaped the erupting volcano."

"I guess I see your point. In that case, I still want someone else to go out there and search for them."

"Yes, sir. Oh, and before I forget..." Kamek waved his wand as a glass vial with Mario's hair. "The good news was that I managed to pluck one of Mario's hairs from him."

Eggman did perk up from that. He replaced his standard white gloves with some clean, rubber ones. He took the vial and unscrewed the lid. Carefully, he let the hair slide onto his left hand and scrutinized the DNA sample. His teeth flashed into a wide grin. "Ah, perfect. I think this will help me with the Metal Mario clone. And if I'm lucky, I can also make one that looks like his green brother. By the way, what's his name anyway?"

"Hmm? Oh, that's Luigi. But almost everyone forgets his name. Lord Bowser does that all the time, really."

"Luigi... Hmm, I'm gonna be honest, that name has got a nice ring to it."

"If that's what you think..." Kamek trailed. "I'll leave you be. I have to explain everything to my master now."

"I think he's in the dining room with the other Koopas. They should be having dinner."

"You're not joining them?"

"I told the chefs to deliver my food since I'm still busy."

"Uh-huh. I guess that's understandable."

"And thanks for the hair. I may not be happy about the whole Chaos Emerald situation, but at least I have something."

"My pleasure," the Magikoopa bowed before exiting.

Dr. Eggman went straight to business for his next project. He put the hair on a glass slide and placed it under a microscope. He adjusted the focus so he could clearly see it through the eyepiece lens. He then stepped back to stare at a sketch of Mario and Luigi that Kamek drew up for him a week ago. A sneer formed, followed by an evil chuckle.

"Soon, there will only be one pair of Mario Bros. to live."

* * *

The next ten minutes went by very slowly for the prisoners, but Knuckles quelled his temper. Everyone else either stood against the wall or sat on the floor, watching Rouge fiddle with the bobby pin. Just then, she heard a slight click in place.

"Ah-ha!" she smirked, pushing the cell door.

"Alright! We're free!" Charmy raised his fists.

"Shh! Don't yell!" Espio hissed. "We don't want those guards to hear us."

"Oh, right. Sorry," the bee whispered.

"Okay, if we're careful, we can try to sneak out of this place," said Vector.

"Forget about careful. I'm going to get that damn Emerald back."

"Shadow, this is not the best time to be hasty," Blaze suggested.

"What makes you say that?"

"I have to agree with her," Rouge spoke up.

"Oh, come on. Why are you going with this?"

"Listen, I may be one of your comrades, but if I were you, I would rather play it safe and make a run for it. Until we can find Sonic or any kind of help, we should hold off taking the Emerald from them."

Shadow grumbled as he glared down at the floor. "Don't complain to me if this backfires on us."

"Fair enough."

Suddenly, the dungeon doors creaked open. Rouge immediately shut the prison and pretended that it was still locked. The Koopatrol guards, Tom and Ken, headed toward the captives with two more trays of the same boring meal.

Rouge turned to everyone, raising her eyebrows as a vague gesture. After slightly tilting her head towards the guards, she whispered, "Follow my lead. When the time is right, run."

Everyone nodded as they reached the cell.

"Dinner's ready," said Tom.

"Great. Another meal of bread and water," Knuckles groaned sarcastically.

"I'll open the door," Ken put the tray on the floor to grab his keychain. But when he was about to insert the key, he saw that the door wasn't closed all the way. "What the... Why is this not-"

Rouge kicked the door with her boot, slamming Ken out of the way. His spikes pierced into Tom's armor as they fell to the ground, spilling the food.

"RUN!" Everyone made a beeline for the exit as the scurried past the fallen Koopatrols.

"Ow. That bat nearly gave me a concussion," Ken rubbed his helmet.

"Come on, Ken! We have to run after them! Or at least tell the boss!" Tom quickly got up, helping his partner on his feet before they dashed after Sonic's friends.

* * *

"Urgh, my steak is tough," Morton complained.

Ludwig glanced at his dish. "I thought you wanted medium well."

"I did! There's no pink though!"

"Really?" Lemmy stood up from his seat and looked from across. "I can see a little pink in there."

"Well, I don't see it!"

"Are you sure you're not color blind or something?" Larry asked.

Bowser didn't want this conversation to continue, so he immediately asked one of the Koopa chefs to bring him a new steak. Everyone else continued to eat. Bowser Jr. managed to finish his meal in three big bites. Wendy was repulsed when she saw him.

"You know, you're going to get stomach pains if you don't chew your food thoroughly." Jr. ignored her and took a sip of soda. He let out a loud belch. "Ugh, you're sickening!"

"Whatever. As long as I get to dessert first before any of you, that's all I care about!"

"Jr., you haven't eaten your vegetables," his father grunted.

"Aw, Dad, do I have to?"

"Don't complain. Finish your broccoli before you get to dessert."

"But that's not fair! You don't have those nasty greens on your plate! I never see you eat vegetables!"

"I had to when I grew up. And yes, I hate them to this day. But if you want to be as big and strong as me, you need to do the same."

Jr. pouted before he gave up. "Fine!" He moved his fork before stabbing the stalk. He reluctantly took a small bite before he spat the broccoli out in disgust. It ended up on Roy's cheek. "Pfft! Gross!"

"Hey! Watch where you spit!" Roy flicked it off.

"Oh, forget him. It's not like he's going to apologize to you," Wendy rolled her eyes.

"I'm gonna get some more soda," Iggy got up from his chair. But as he was about to enter the kitchen, the doors busted open, knocking the green-haired Koopaling into the wall.

"This way!" Rouge yelled as the others ran behind her.

"Hey! Why are they out of their cell?!" Bowser roared.

"Ow..." Iggy's head started to spin. "Th-th-that h-hurt... I think I'm gonna- OOF!" The doors hit him again when Tom and Ken appeared.

"Your Hungriness! The animals escaped!"

"You think I didn't SEE that?! Koopalings! Go after them!"

"But what about my steak?" Morton groused.

"GET MOVING!"

The Koopalings scrambled out of the dining hall as they went to retrieve their wands. Iggy slowly recovered before following them, even though his eyeballs were completely crazed. Jr. went over to hop in his Koopa Clown Car and chased the captives down the hall.

"Get back here, you little brats!"

"Says you! Have you seen yourself in the mirror?!" Knuckles fired back.

In retaliation, Jr. pushed a button and released a spike ball from the mouth. It hurtled over the heads of the Chaotix, barely missing Vector as he ducked down. However, it landed in front of them, causing them to stop.

"Guys! Keep going! We'll stall this guy!" the crocodile shouted.

Espio whipped out a couple of shuriken stars at the young turtle while Charmy flew up to try and sting him. Unfortunately, he blocked both of them with a glass dome over his head. Vector jumped up to punch the barrier, but even with his strength, he failed to make a crack. Bowser Jr. chuckled before he brought out the Koopa Clown's boxing gloves. Both of them extended towards the trio as they tried to avoid getting punched.

"If our attacks aren't working, we better keep going," Espio wheezed before leaning back from one of the gloves.

"I second that! Let's bail!" screamed Charmy.

"Hey! Wait a second! Why are you running away?!"

"Isn't it obvious? We're leaving this place!" replied Vector.

"That's what you think! Get back here!"

The rest of the Sonic gang split up when Lemmy, Larry, and Morton caught them at one of the hallways. The three Koopalings chased after Silver, Blaze, and Knuckles while Rouge and Shadow ran down a different corridor.

"Let me at 'em!" Lemmy got on top of a balancing ball and had several more to bounce off the walls and floor to distract them.

Morton pounded the ground to stun the animals while Larry shot three magical blasts at them. One of them nearly singed Blaze, but Silver stopped it with his telekinesis. Knuckles punctured a bouncing ball as it deflated from the spikes. He used his other fist to punch one at the Koopas. Blaze hurled a flame with her pyrokinesis, heading straight to Lemmy. It scorched his feet, causing him to tumble off of his balancing ball. Another hit Morton in the chest and had trouble getting through the burning pain.

"ARGH! That hurts!"

"Take this!" Larry counteracted with more of his magic, but Silver continued to keep him at bay, manipulating the magical spheres to take down the blue-haired Koopaling. As they kept on running throughout the hallways, Knuckles was starting to get frustrated.

"Where the hell is the exit?!"

"How are we supposed to know?!" Blaze countered. "You happen to enter the castle! Don't you remember the route?"

"Directions are not my forte, you know!"

"Just keep going!" Silver told them.

In a different wing of the fortress, Shadow skated over the red carpet with Rouge flying next to him. When they turned a corner, they stopped to see Wendy and Ludwig blocking their path. When they tried to go back, Roy and Iggy were standing behind them, even though the latter was still dizzy.

Rouge noticed the female Koopa's jewelry around her neck. "Nice necklace you got there. It'd be a shame if I-" she paused as she flew over and tugged on the red beads, "-stole it from you."

Wendy slapped her hand away, scowling. "Hands off the merchandise, Bat Girl! Roy, I got her. You and Ludwig get the black-furred rat."

 _"Are you kidding me?"_ Shadow mentally groaned. Apparently Sonic wasn't the only hedgehog who's been called by the wrong species.

"W-What about me?"

"Uh, just use your magic as normal. But don't get too close to them. You're still recovering," Ludwig told him.

Iggy nodded and started his attacks. Meanwhile, Wendy waved her wand and a pair of magical rings rebounded off the walls and floor. Rouge thought it wasn't a big deal; but when she wasn't paying attention, one of them hit her in the back, right below her wings. She felt it sting her body and rubbed the spot beneath her black unitard. Seeing the smirk on Wendy's lips, she challenged her back with her martial arts. A few kicks and fists caught the Koopa off guard that she didn't expect the bat swiping her feet against hers. She landed on her shell and struggled to get up.

While that took place, the other battle with Shadow versus Ludwig and Roy took place. The glasses-wearing Koopa pounded the hallway floor, but he was dismayed that the hedgehog wasn't fazed. Shadow sped forward to spin dash into his head, starting a chain reaction on the other male Koopas. Iggy wasn't able to dodge in time, and Ludwig hid in his shell to resist the damage. He jumped in the air and did a ground pound. But Shadow sidestepped away effortlessly. A few kicks put Ludwig against the wall.

Roy waved his wand and emitted streams of pink magic blasts. Rouge and Shadow were unaware that the clouds had a sleeping effect, and they didn't realize it until the bat was stunned by the spell. As she started to lose focus, Shadow growled and carried her over his shoulder.

"Hey! Dat's not fair! Get back here and fight!" shouted Roy.

"I rather suffocate from Sonic's annoying banter than your slumber spell," Shadow countered before dashing off.

Wendy got up from Roy's help. She scowled at him afterward. "Way to go, dumbass."

"How was this _my_ fault?!"

Ludwig was shaking his head from the crash. "Come on, let's run the other way. I'm not passing through that." He, Roy, and Wendy backtracked while Iggy sluggishly followed behind them after getting up.

Conveniently, the eight Mobians congregated at an intersection after they got away from the Koopalings.

"Hey, look!" Charmy pointed. "It's the front entrance!"

"Alright! Let's bail!" Vector charged down the hallway with the other following behind.

Suddenly, two individuals stopped in front of them. Everyone was too late to react as they crashed into each other, forming a dogpile on the floor. Then, they used their extendable arms to wrap them up. Knuckles was the first to notice the ones who blocked their escape.

"Metal Sonic?!"

"And is that... a Metal Tails robot?!" Blaze gasped.

The robots' red eyes gleamed brightly, which intimidated Charmy. Everyone else, besides Shadow, was in disbelief. They soon heard footsteps coming from where they ran from, only to see the evil doctor glancing from above.

"Well, what do we have here? How _metal_ -some of you to try and leave your dungeon? And now you're all _tied up_ from your escape!"

"I thought you hated puns," Silver wondered.

"I never said that. I just hate it whenever Sonic uses them in front of me! But since that hedgehog is hypothetically gone, I'll make puns whenever I feel like it!"

"What do you mean that he's hypothetically gone?" Knuckles growled.

"I've received some special news from my colleague's apprentice."

"You mean that cone-headed wizard who stole our Chaos Emerald?" Shadow raised an eyebrow.

"Yes, him. And it's _our_ Chaos Emerald now!"

"What exactly happened to Sonic?" Espio wanted to get to the point.

"He said that Sonic and his buddies got trapped in a volcano when they were trying to get a Chaos Emerald. But it seems that the volcano erupted before they could escape."

"What?! That can't be true!" Vector was skeptical.

"Which is why I said he's hypothetically gone. He could be alive if a miracle went his way. But I highly doubt it. Still, I have to expect the possibility that he's alive just because that irritating rat somehow gets away with a lot of things."

"And what exactly do you plan to do next?" Rouge questioned him.

"Hey! There they are!" they all heard Jr. yell. He was with Bowser, Kamek, and the Koopalings.

Bowser stepped forward, leering at the Mobian animals. "Thanks to you, our dinner was ruined, and we had to deal with a near breakout. And not only that, one of my Koopalings will need medical attention!" he pointed at Iggy who leaned against the wall to keep himself up.

"What are you gonna do to us now?" Blaze stared at Bowser.

When the Koopa King turned to glare at her, she lowered her head to avoid eye contact. He then turned to his partner. "I want them back in their dungeon. And tomorrow morning, I'm sending the Koopalings to go back looking for the Emeralds."

"Actually, Bowser," Eggman interjected, "I have a proposition for you."

"You're going to let us leave?" Charmy asked with a little bit of delight.

"Zip it, insect!"

"What do you have in mind?"

"I assume Kamek has told you about his journey with the Elite Trio."

"No, he hasn't told me anything," he turned to the Magikoopa.

"Your Incomprehensiveness, I was unaware of the prisoners escaping. And by the time I reached the dining room, you were absent." Kamek took the next minute to explain the predicament.

Bowser emitted a low grunt. "And what's your plan?"

"I want to send my Metal clones out for action. If in the case that they're still alive, I want Sonic to react to the idea of having to face both of them."

"Hmm... I don't know."

"Give the Koopas another day off and let my robots handle the next task. In the meantime, I'll be building Metal Mario and Metal Luigi as they take care of business."

Bowser was a bit reluctant, but he eventually committed to the plan. "Alright. We'll go with that."

"Excellent," Eggman sneered. "Now then, Metal Sonic, Metal Tails, take these lunatics back to where they belong."

His slaves nodded to his command and carried the restrained Mobians to the underground dungeon. After they watched them leave, Morton tapped on Bowser's leg.

"What?"

"Can we go back to dinner now? And can I get a new steak?"

Bowser sighed, running a claw through his hair before nodding. The perks of being a Koopa King included being able to support a family and a kingdom. What he didn't want was dealing with a plumber who had harrowed him countless times and a hedgehog who has done the same thing to his cohort. But as long as the plan comes into fruition, their archenemies will join their younger brothers in the afterlife. Then, he and Eggman would rule every single square foot in the universe.

 ** _END OF CHAPTER_**

* * *

 _It's been a while since we've seen the guys at Bowser's Castle, so I wanted to include them here. Unfortunately for Sonic's friends, they couldn't make it out thanks to Eggman's metal minions. And this is just the beginning for those two..._

 _Speaking of Eggman, he'll get to work with the other Metal robots while our heroes move on to the next part of their quest. The thing is, I'm going to do something different. I've put a poll on my profile to let you choose where you want Mario and Sonic to travel next. I have three different options, and they will all be found in the story (unless I have a last-second change). By the end of two weeks, the most popular choice will be used. I'll try my best to get started on that when I'm not busy with work._

 _Please review below, let me know if I have to fix any errors, follow/favorite for more, and I'll see you in Ch. 35 of New Brotherhood! This is TGN, signing off._

* * *

 ** _Post-Chapter Notes:_**

 ** _(1):_** _If this sounds familiar, then you might recognize it from Sonic X. I can't help but reference this line from one of their moments in the show. Knuckles and Rouge don't get along in one aspect, yet I always find it hilarious whenever they quarrel or when the former loses it._


	36. Ch 35: Reminiscing the Past

_A/N:_ _Earlier, I asked people to vote on where they would like to see Mario and Sonic venture next. And today, you'll get to see where they'll be heading. However, they won't be there until later. This is another one of those chapters where I want these two to spend more time together._

 _I also want to thank Squidzi Galaxi, ImpishDude2100, InsanityDude101, ultragreenyellow56, and Mitha Sentro for the favorites and follows, respectively. Alongside Mitha, I appreciate Golden Eye, SupernaturalSonicFan, Oderus, The Sensational SpiderDom321, Infinite's Ruby, Q, and the Guests for leaving reviews. And as for everyone who has read New Brotherhood to this point, thank you for over **250 reviews** and **25,000 hits** on Fanfiction!_

* * *

 _Disclaimer:_ _This crossover idea is pretty much the only thing that belongs to me. If I owned Mario or Sonic, Nintendo and Sega will be up in lawsuits against me. And they'll win without a doubt._

* * *

 **Chapter 35:** Reminiscing the Past

Mario, Sonic, and their friends reached Muda Beach and returned the stolen items from Nabbit's bag. Reef got his hat back, Coral was given her purse, and every other resident retrieved their own belongings. Everything else that wasn't returned properly was taken to the town's Lost and Found center. The Yurarins thanked the heroes before they went to board Peach's private plane.

Traveling from Muda to Chai, Daisy was dropped off at Chai Airport so she could depart to her castle. Although she couldn't stay with her friends, the tomboy hoped this wasn't the last time she got to see the Mobians. She wished them good luck and a safe trip to the Mushroom Kingdom. Sonic and the others returned the gesture before the Toad Express flew into the starry sky once again. They all rested on the plane during the long trip back home.

* * *

 _Location: Mushroom Kingdom_

A few hours elapsed until they reached their destination. Mario got off the plane after everyone else and told them that he was heading over to his house for the night. He wished them good night before Peach led Sonic, Amy, Cream, and Cheese into the castle.

After a tiring walk, Mario entered inside his cottage and got a glass of water from the kitchen. He then went to the living room to grab his journal that he had left on the coffee table for weeks. It had been a while since he wrote something new, so he decided to make an entry before actually get a full night's worth of sleep. Mario changed into his red-striped pajamas, brushed his teeth, and got himself comfortable under the bedsheets. He turned on the tableside lamp and opened to a new blank page.

...

 _Dear Journal, **(1)**_

 _Over two weeks flew by since I last wrote something in here. And man, was it a journey to remember._

 _I was walking with Sonic to see Professor E. Gadd so we could ask for his help to bring him and his friends back to his home planet. But before we could do that, we were surprised to see some people who were very familiar to us. Sonic's little brother, Tails, appeared right next to my own fratello, Luigi. Both of us were completely shocked that we saw and talked with them in their spirit form. After all, how many people can even interact with the dead?_

 _Nevertheless, they explained their reason behind it and gave us some souvenirs to help remember them. Sonic and I were given two watches which were named as 'Brotherhood Bracelets'. It definitely sounded fitting. Unfortunately, they couldn't stay for long, but we were all blessed to reunite and meet one another. I still can't believe that happened._

...

The man smiled at the fond memory they all shared on that day. He returned the page, scribbling more of his anecdote in blank ink.

...

 _Then, we found out that Sonic's friends were imprisoned in Bowser's Castle. Peach decided to tag along and help with the escape. While we managed to evade Bowser and the Koopas, Sonic's nemesis, Dr. Eggman, hurt him with a dart. And he almost got killed from a deadly Bullet Bill if I hadn't gotten him out of the way in time. I ended up taking the hit, and I was afraid that Sonic might blame himself for this. We got into an argument at the hospital, but we made up after I shared my true feelings for him._

 _To be honest, I really look up to Sonic as a brother._

 _Sure, we didn't get off on the right hand at first, and we did have some tense moments here and there. But there was something about that hedgehog that made me respect him. It was the fact that he had a brother of his own, even if he wasn't the same species as Sonic. He cared so much about Tails as much as I cared about Luigi. If that doesn't define brotherly love, then I don't know what does._

 _And that's why I think of him that way. I wouldn't say he's a younger brother even though he's fifteen. We're pretty much equals with each other. We're about the same height, we save our worlds, and we have plenty of loved ones to care and protect. There are a lot of things we have in common._

...

Mario paused to cover his mouth from a big yawn. Afterward, he reached over to his glass and took a sip of water before he resumed writing.

...

 _Anyway, back to the main point, Sonic and I needed to find the seven Chaos Emeralds from his world so he and his friends can go home. Professor E. Gadd found one to begin with, and we took one from Larry when we escaped Bowser's domain. And just recently, we uncovered a third Emerald after a long day of chasing Nabbit. We also had a run-in with Kamek and the Elite Trio. In fact, we almost lost our lives in a volcano if Luigi and Tails didn't return to my dimension._

 _Earlier today, they explained about their new status as Guardian Angels, hoping that they'll be able to save us from peril when necessary. Of course, there are some limitations, but if it means that we get to see them again, then Sonic and I are more than happy. It's too bad they can't see anyone else besides us. It was one of the rules they shared._

 _After a tiring day, we said our goodbyes and retired for the day. Sonic and I will be taking the yellow Emerald to the professor's lab tomorrow morning. And maybe we'll get a new reading of a location of another. Assuming they've all transported here, who knows where the other four are?_

 _It's getting late now as I saw the time. Twenty past midnight. I really need to get some sleep. Jet lag was very bothersome to deal with. And I miss sleeping in my own bed._

 _~Mario_

...

He bookmarked the page and placed the journal on the table. After taking one last drink, he pulled the sheets close to his neck, sluggishly shutting his eyes as he prepared for a brand-new day of adventure.

 _"Buona notte, Weegie. Hope you and Tails are still fine up there."_ His mind immediately switched off as the darkness took over.

* * *

With the majority of Toads awake, whether they were doing work or loitering outside the town, it was clear that it was a new day in the Mushroom Kingdom. The weather was mostly cloudy, but the sun barely shined through the thick, gray sky. A slight breeze whisked in the warm air.

"Ah... Today doesn't seem too shabby," Sonic said to himself.

He was up and running for his morning exercise. He spent more time to admire the sights of Mario's homeland like he did on his first day here. He eventually made it to the castle roof, holding onto a flagpole while his other hand was over his eyes as he gazed at the city of Toad Town with the lush, green hills standing tall in the background. He smiled, admiring the view.

"I wonder if Amy, Cream, and Cheese got to see what's outside of this town. As long as Cream isn't in a dangerous place, that's what's really important. I definitely don't want her going inside a volcano or anything like that again."

He peered at the clouds again. Somewhere up above, Tails was resting in the Overthere with Luigi. His heartbeat thumped slowly in his chest, still taking in the realization that he can meet with his buddy periodically. Of course, he can't see him all the time, and each visit was set for a limited time. Also, he probably didn't want to bother Tails by incessantly pressing the button on his blue Brotherhood Bracelet. Even though it was nice to see the yellow fox, he didn't want to take advantage of the meetings. Only when the time was right will he press the button.

"Tails, thanks again," he whispered to the wind.

Sonic then looked down near the entrance of Toad Town. Seeing a red hat made him instantly know who the person was. As he waited for him to reach the castle, he called out his name.

"Hey, Mario!"

The plumber stopped walking and glanced at the roof. He saw Sonic waving at him.

"Hi, Sonic!" he waved back. "What are you doing up there?"

The hedgehog jumped off and landed ten feet from him. He walked over to him as he answered. "Just doing some more sightseeing after having a morning run. I was also waiting for you to come here."

"Mario!" they both heard a voice. Peach exited the front doors with Amy by her side. "How are you doing today?"

"Pretty good. I'm ready to continue with our adventure to find the Chaos Emeralds. Are you guys joining us again?"

Amy shook her head. "No, we're going to stay here at the castle. Cream's still tired from last night. She hasn't gotten out of bed yet."

"Considering that she almost got stuck in an erupting volcano, I wouldn't blame her," said Sonic. "It's for the best that she rests well. Not only that, she's in a safer place."

"I agree to that," Peach nodded. "The Toads, Amy, and I will make sure she'll be fine."

"I guess that means you're not going with us, Peach?" Mario presumed.

She sighed. "I'm afraid not. Toadsworth heard about what happened, and he's been overprotective and worrisome about us, especially my well-being, no surprise. I've tried to quell his fear, but you know he is."

"Yeah, I understand. Sorry, Peach."

"It's not your fault, Mario. Maybe with some time, he'll forget about all that. But for today, or who knows how long, maybe I can help out again. Or at least Amy can join you two in the future."

"Yeah! I would like that! And that way I can spend some more time with Sonic!"

A bead of sweat fell down his forehead. The cobalt hedgehog hoped she meant that in a way where they weren't going on a date. Albeit, he had to admit how productive and supportive she has been for the past several weeks.

"I guess we should go see the professor now. We have to store the Emerald we got from Nabbit, and then we have to find the next one."

"Be careful out there!" Amy yelled.

"And good luck!" Peach waved at them.

"Thanks, girls! Catch ya later!" Sonic winked before he and Mario ran off.

* * *

 _Location: Boo Woods_

A raindrop splashed on the brim of Mario's hat. When he felt it, he looked up at the sky. The sun wasn't shining through the thick sea of clouds like before.

"I really hope it doesn't rain heavily today," he commented.

"That's the thing I hate about rain. It's so unpredictable. One minute it'll be just a small drizzle, and the next thing you know, it's a freaking downpour. I hate getting wet, especially when I'm out for a run."

"This is kind of random, but I remember one time when Luigi and I were running through the jungle during one of my adventures to rescue Peach. It started off well with the sun, but then it got cloudy and started to rain. It was a bit light at first. Then the lightning came, and I nearly got shocked."

"You didn't get hurt, did you?"

"Thankfully, no. But I did get soaked. I swear it took me so long for my clothes to dry that day! I somehow managed to dry faster back at the beach yesterday!"

"Gee, that must've been a terrible rainstorm back then."

"You should've seen poor Luigi there. He was busy draining the water from his hat that he didn't see where he was going. Unfortunately for him, he slipped on a puddle and landed in some mud."

"What? You're kidding me!" Sonic stifled a laugh.

"I'm not! He can be a clumsy fellow sometimes, but that was one of his most embarrassing moments. And to be honest, I laughed at him so hard that he was mad at me! Of course, I apologized, but it took him a while for him to forgive me though."

"Oh, really?"

"Yeah... It wasn't until karma bit my ass when I unknowingly ran into a tree branch. I fell down a hill and landed in a different mud puddle," Mario chuckled, causing Sonic to do the same.

"No way!"

"I'm serious! It was the other way around where Luigi was laughing at me. I was a bit mad, but I couldn't blame him since I did that to him. At least we made up and continued to go through the worlds and rescue Peach."

"You know, that reminds me of this one memory back home. It was April Fools' Day, and I wanted to pull a prank on my little bro."

"What'd you do?"

"So, we have this plane called the Tornado. It's technically my plane, but Tails has been piloting it since the day we first met. Anyway, he admires it very much and always makes sure that it's in top-notch condition. And that morning, I kinda fooled him into thinking that something was wrong with the engine."

"Then what happened?"

"As he was checking the plane, I went up to his room and hung up these fake ghosts near his window. He was a bit peeved that I lied to him about the Tornado. But when he got to his room, man, he freaked the hell out when he saw those ghosts!"

"Mamma Mia. That's a bit harsh."

"It was only a prank! It's not like I was trying to hurt him. I would never do that in a million years."

"I guess you're right. But I bet he wasn't happy with you."

"Oh, yeah. He was _ticked_."

"If I ever did that to Luigi, he would _never_ forgive me at all knowing how much ghosts freak him out."

"At least for me, Tails apologized. Well, sort of..."

"Sort of?" Mario repeated.

"He... got revenge on my prank."

Mario saw where this was going, so he smirked at his friend. "What'd he do to you?"

Sonic scratched the back of his head. "He placed a bucket of water on top of my bedroom door. And when I opened it, I got wet and hit in the head with it."

The plumber couldn't help but snort. "Wow! He sure got you!"

"Yeah... He did," Sonic shook his head. "I should've seen it coming considering he's a smart cookie."

"It's too bad you didn't see it until the last second."

"Uh-huh. He told me we were even after that, and I had no choice to but to accept it." Sonic had a small smile on his face. "Heh, I swear, Tails can pull off some deceiving tricks whenever he's playful like that."

"I can imagine. Luigi and I would play around when we were kids. We had a couple of moments, both good and bad ones. Those were the days, I tell you. But since we grew into adulthood, we hardly had time for pranks or stuff like that. And whenever it's in front of the princess or Toadsworth, we usually get reprimanded by the latter. But Peach would know that we would never do anything inappropriate on purpose."

"Was there ever a time you had to act formally in front of her?"

"Only when there was a special event took place at the castle or whenever a meeting was held, whether it's just us or with other rulers from the neighboring kingdoms. Other than that, I'm generally casual around her, and she doesn't mind."

"It's cool how you and Luigi got to be friends with her as well as Daisy. You must've been lucky to cross paths with each other."

"I wouldn't call it luck. I think fate brought us together. It sounds a bit cliché, but I think it was just meant to be. Kind of like how we all got to meet you and your friends when you crashed into our world."

Sonic stopped for a second. "I never thought of it that way. I guess a lot of things just fall into place, yet we don't really seem to think about it too much unless we're openly talking about it. It's kind of like how fate brought me to find Tails and rescue him from a bunch of bullies. Since then, we were basically inseparable. And although it's unfortunate that he passed away, I don't know how my life would have been if I never met him."

"I think about that idea, too," Mario turned to him. "I know Luigi and I were born in the same family. But sometimes, I had this 'what if' thought roaming in my head. What if I never had a brother in the first place? I would've been very lonely throughout my life aside from Peach and my other friends in the Mushroom Kingdom. However, I probably wouldn't have that same bond as the one I shared with Luigi. Similar to you and Tails, we were together as brothers, as a family."

Sonic nodded. "And I wouldn't have developed and shared a bond with Tails, or even you. I have to say; things can just unexpectedly happen. Yet sometimes, it could end up being a great thing. And that's how I felt after I first met both of you."

"I feel the same way, too, Sonic. I'm glad we're best friends."

"And brothers, too."

Mario smiled before he realized what he just said. "Wait... Did you just say..."

The Blue Blur smirked at him and gave a thumbs-up. "I think of you as a brother, Mario. And I'm happy with that."

The red plumber blinked and smiled as well. He raised his hand toward him. Sonic accepted the gesture by grasping it, who soon started a friendly handshake. The heroes eventually stopped when they felt a few more raindrops fall down on their heads, so they hurried over to E. Gadd's bunker. The professor answered Mario's knocks and allowed them inside.

"Ah, Mario! Sonic! Hurry in, gentlemen!" After closing the door, he gazed outside the front window. "Just got here in the nick of time before the rain started pouring."

"Yeah, we got a bit lucky. But I'm not gonna like running through the rain when we search for the next Emerald," Sonic complained.

"No problem. You're more than welcome to stay in my bunker until it's all clear. But anyhoo, I believe you have something for safekeeping, correct?"

Sonic nodded and took out the yellow Chaos Emerald. He handed it over to the old man who rotated it in his hand.

"Great work, you two! I must say, the yellow shine on this one is quite attractive. If only we could get some yellow out in the sky, am I right?"

Mario rolled his eyes at his quip, but it's not like he disagreed. Traversing through rain or any other precipitation was usually a bother.

"I know it took a few days to find this one, but how did it go?"

"Ugh, you wouldn't believe the whole thing," Sonic groaned before he and Mario explained every detail.

"Oh, boy. I bet you were tired out after that reckless chase. But hey, all's well that ends well, and you managed to find a Chaos Emerald."

"Now we should locate another one. I hope we can get a new signal," Mario took out the Emerald Detector. Although it took a while, the map pinpointed the general whereabouts. "Hmm... It says here that there's one in the Forest of Illusion." **_(2)_**

"The Forest of Illusion?" repeated Sonic.

"It's down south in Dinosaur Land, a place near Yoshi's Island. Last time I remember, Luigi and I had to find some secret passages to continue through the labyrinth. And from the name itself, one could get themselves lost if they either walk the wrong way, or they don't know where to go."

"Either way, you'll have to make do in that forest maze to track down the next Emerald," said E. Gadd. "And since there aren't any resting spots, like hotels, nearby, I suggest you get some camping gear in the case you need to stop and rest for the night."

"Good idea, Professor. We can stop by in Toad Town before we head down. We'll also ask if we can borrow Peach's plane for transportation."

"Sounds like a plan to me!" Sonic smiled.

"I'll store this yellow feller with the others downstairs. Oh, and it looks like the rain has stopped," E. Gadd stared out the window.

"That was fast."

"Good thing it passed by quickly."

"Alright, gentlemen! Good luck on your next journey!"

"Thanks, Professor! We'll see you later!" Mario waved.

The plumber and the hedgehog exited the bunker and made their way back to Toad Town to get their supplies. Unbeknownst to them, however, two figures hid from behind. The pairs of red eyes gleamed at the heroes running down the dirt path.

"Targets sighted... Analyzing purpose..."

"Destination: Forest of Illusion... South of Mushroom Kingdom."

"Main goal: find Chaos Emerald. Secondary goal, terminate red hero and blue hedgehog."

"Only **one** can live forever. And the other shall perish..." **_(3)_**

 ** _END OF CHAPTER_**

* * *

 _I had an exam and several long assignments to complete earlier this week, and I have another test tomorrow, so it took me a while to actually write this. And although we technically didn't start the next location, Mario and Sonic will begin their trek to the Forest of Illusion._

 _For those who were curious, Isle Delfino and the Crystal Palace were tied at two votes apiece while the Forest of Illusion had one. After I extended the voting deadline, the Forest of Illusion earned two more votes, giving it three in total, while the others did not receive any additional points. So that's what happened. If there wasn't a change in the score, I probably would've done the Crystal Palace since I already made them travel to a tropical locale earlier, and Isle Delfino would just sound redundant if it went back-to-back with Yurarin Isle._

 _Regardless, thanks to everyone for voting and reading! Please favorite/follow New Brotherhood for new updates. Leave a review down below to let me know what you think or if I need to fix any errors. Until then, this is TGN, signing off._

* * *

 ** _Post-Chapter Notes:_**

 ** _(1):_** _Mario's journal makes another return. But I decided to get rid of the whole 'Month X, Day X' thing since it's basically irrelevant._

 ** _(2):_** _As I mentioned earlier, the Forest of Illusion came back and won the vote. I chose to include some kind of forest level for the two to travel. This location was first found in Super Mario World._

 ** _(3):_** _As if it wasn't obvious, we have Metal Sonic and Metal Tails stalking at the end. And although Metal Sonic does not speak in the games, I feel like it would be more hard-hitting if the metal robots could talk (for one obvious reason)._


	37. UPDATE

Hey, guys. Just want to give another important update.

My finals will be coming up next week, and I want to make sure I do well on all of them so I can finish college and graduate. The last thing I want to do is suffer another mental breakdown like I did the previous semester. So long as everything goes well, I can relax and move on to whatever I want for my future. That also means I have to take some time to move out of my place and go back to my current job every now and then.

Therefore, I will not be posting or writing for the next 2-3 weeks. Although New Brotherhood has not been updated since late March, I will get back to that story as soon as possible. (I've only written about a page, and that's it.) Revengeful Resistance will probably wait until late May or early June. Both stories still do not have a set upload schedule as chapters will appear randomly. I do not plan to start new projects of FFN anytime soon since I want to focus on the ones I have, even if takes me years to get them done. I don't know how many chapters NB or RR will be since I need to set everything up. But I might write out some one-shots or short stories (similar to Distance) if I want to take a break on either fanfic.

I'll still be on the website to chat or read. But again, don't expect any significant uploads from me. Regardless, thanks for your support. I hope to see you all soon.

~TGN


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